72 



MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB 



On September 12, 1909, 1 saw a large rail on the flats of the Castleneck River 

 at Ipswich, which I believe was a Clapper Rail. It ran with its head down to 

 some thatch where it disappeared. I at once landed from my canoe and walked 

 into the grass, whereupon the rail rose silently within a few feet of me, with legs 

 dangling. It had a long curved bill and was the size of a Clapper or a King Rail. 

 The light was good and its gray rather than rich brown color showed that it was 

 a Clapper Rail. 



The third record, by Dr. J. C. Phillips,^ is as follows: "On October 20, 1916, 

 Mr. T. C. Wilson, of Ipswich, brought me a young male Clapper Rail {Ralltts 

 crepitans crepitans). It was shot in the salt marshes of that town near the Poor 

 Farm, and was a young bird of this season." 



89 [212] Rallus virginianus Linn. 

 Virginia Rail. 

 Common summer resident. April 11 to October 13. 

 Eggs: May 12 to July 10. 



This bird welcomed the cat-tails that for a few years nearly filled the south- 

 ern end of Sagamore Pond near my house at Ipswich, and on July 10, 1910, I 

 found a nest there with eight white eggs speckled with brown. The nest was 

 swung in a clump of coarse grass a foot above the water among the cat-tails. It 

 was made of coarse grass-stalks. I had hoped to see the curious downy young 

 but on my next visit, a few days later, they had emerged from their shells and 

 departed. 



On another occasion, while concealed near the cat-tails, I heard an ear- 

 piercing spec or see from near at hand and saw a Virginia Rail threading it way 

 in and out among the rushes, thrusting continually its long curved bill into the 

 water and mud. It ran within ten feet of me up on to the bank, so near that I 

 could see its dark-red eyes, and, as it disappeared in the cat-tails, another one 

 appeared. Their frequently emitted notes were as sharp as those of the red 

 squirrel, at times suggestive of the squeak made by the grass-blade stretched 

 between the thumbs, at times a low guttural chattering or grunting or moaning; 

 now a mild cut-ta, cut-ta, then a loud and disdainful eh eh. The one that had 

 passed me soon popped out of the cat-tails with a long worm hanging from its 

 bill, but, disturbed by my presence, turned back to reappear a little farther off and 

 returned to the rushes as before. It then flew out over the pond with weak feeble 



1 Phillips, J. C. Auk, vol. 28, p. 119, 1911. 



