3S CoNTRlfetJTlONS FROM THE CHARLESTON MuSEUM. 



early in the spring, for I secured an adult female on March 4, 

 1895, and it remains until the second week in May. My earliest 

 autumn record is August 20, 1899, and during the spring and 

 autumn migration it is commonly seen in the salt marshes. This 

 species, which is locally known as the "Coot," is also very 

 abundant in the rice plantations, as well as in fields where pea 

 vines are growing, and is very difficult to flush. 



84. Coturnicops noveboracensis (Gmel.). Yellow Rail. 



Audubon states in Birds of America that "Dr. Bachman has 

 procured specimens near Charleston." 



As far back as 1879, there were no specimens of this species in 

 the Charleston Museum and the first intimation I had of its oc- 

 currence was on February 4, 1898, when one was caught by a cat. 

 This bird had been "picked" by a negro man, who took it from 

 his cat, and being just in time to see it before the head was com- 

 pletely denuded I saved that member and sent it to Dr. Charles 

 W. Richmond of the Smithsonian Institution for positive iden- 

 tification. On December 19, 1903, another Yellow Rail was 

 caught by a cat. 



I quote from the Auk ^ my experience with this elusive little 

 species: 



On February 3, 1904, while out partridge shooting, I saw my dog pointing in a 

 low, wet piece of open land with a dense growth of short, dead grass, and being 

 unable to flush anything myself, although I trampled the grass down in every 

 direction, I told her to take it. She at once caught a Yellow Rail, which was the 

 first I had ever seen alive in South Carolina. 



I then made her hunt the entire field, and in less than ten minutes she caught 

 two more. These three Yellow Rails were caught near sunset. The next morn- 

 ing, February 4, I again visited the field, in company with my dog, and in less 

 than five minutes she had caught another; while a second specimen was flushed 

 and shot. On February 5 and 8, two more were taken, which made seven in all. 

 On November 19, 1904, my dog again captured one alive. 



These rails would not flush, although in every instance I tried my utmost to 

 make them fly, and the only one that did elude the dog by flying, was due to the 

 dog's failure to seize it in a very thick growth. The stomachs of these rails con- 

 tained the remains of a species of freshwater snail. One of the specimens taken 

 February 3, an adult female, shows melanism in a marked degree. 



Between October 26 and March 10, 1910, I took thirty-four 

 Yellow Rails near my house. 



The Yellow Rail is a winter resident, and breeds as far north 

 as Hudson Bay. 



» XXII, 1905, 396-397. 



