ANDERSON — THE BIRDS OF IOWA. 207 



express purpose. The nest is usuall}- placed near the bottom of 

 a clump of rushes or sedges, generally over water, and contains 

 nine to twelve eggs, deposited about the last of May. 



County records: "Rare summer resident" — Boone (Henning); 

 Franklin (Shoemaker); Mills — Pottawattamie (Trostler); Van 

 Buren (Savage); Winneshiek (Smith); Blackhawk (Peck). 



"Common summer resident" — Hardin (Peck); Lee (Praeger, 

 Currier); Linn (Bailey, Berry); Polk (Johnson); Kossuth (Bing- 

 aman); Winnebago (Anderson, Halvorsen). 



"Transient" — Jackson (Giddinger); Poweshiek (Kelsey); Scott 

 ("Rare; one shot April 30, 1891" — Wilson). 



81. (212). Ral/us virgiiiiaims l^mw. Virginia Rail. 



The Virginia Rail in appearance and habits is an almost per- 

 fect miniature of the King Rail. Observers in all parts of the 

 state agree in considering the species as a somewhat rare and 

 uncommon summer resident. A few report it as common during 

 migration. W. H. Bingaman gives it as a "common breeder" in 

 Kossuth count}'. In Winnebago and Hancock counties I have 

 found it tolerably common in summer. \^'hile seen less fre- 

 quently than the King Rail, probably on account of its smaller 

 size, I have found more nests than of those of the latter species. 

 Nests are composed of dried grasses and reeds, forming a small 

 platform near the bottom of a clump of sedges. June 5, 1895, took 

 seven fresh eggs from a nest which contained six on June i (Win- 

 nebago); June 6, 1894, nine eggs, slightl}^ incubated (Hancock); 

 June 23, 1894, caught downy j'oung bird, color dark green, almost 

 black; June 3, 1897, six eggs; June 10, 1897, ^li^i^ eggs, incuba- 

 tion begun (Winnebago). 



Genus Porzana Vieillot. 

 Subgenus Porzana Vieillot. 



82. (213). Porzayia Carolina (Linn.). Sora. 



The Sora or Carolina Rail is reported by observers in nearly all 

 parts of the state as a common or abundant migrant. It does not 

 appear to nest commonly south of the central line of the state, 

 but in northern Iowa it breeds abundantly. A. I. Johnson reports 

 the Sora as a common summer resident and nesting in Polk 

 county. A few nest in Johnson county, and E. S. Currier reports 



