SUPPLEMENT TO BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY 



73 



wing-beats, legs dangling close to the water, and the worm still in its bill. It 

 landed feebly and awkwardly, sitting down in the water before scrambling to its 

 feet and elevating and depressing its short tail. 



What I take to be the full nuptial song is delivered with great vigor and 

 rapidly repeated. It may be written down as ki'd-ick, ki'd-kk, ki'd-ick. At a 

 little distance this reminds one of the metallic sound made by the striking of an 

 anvil when the hammer rebounds once or occasionally twice. Near at hand it 

 suggests a telegraphic ticker. 



90 [214] Porzana Carolina (Linn.). 

 SoRA ; Carolina Rail. 

 Common summer resident. March 20 to November 8. 

 Eggs: June 9 to 11. 



The Sora is a dainty walker, choosing its steps with nicety in the intricate 

 passages among the cat-tails, nervously twitching its head and neck and jerking its 

 erect tail. Seen from the front this tail is a dark triangle with a white edge ; from 

 behind it is a conspicuous triangle, buffy white in color, matching the blown downy 

 seeds of the cat-tails. It is conspicuous in the dark aisles among the rushes when 

 the rest of the bird is invisible, and spring and fall this flag is displayed. Occa- 

 sionally, however, a Sora may be seen to lower the triangle and quit its jerking, 

 and I have seen a bird stand still on the mud with head drawn in and tail down 

 apparently for concealment. The yellow bill is a noticeable feature. 



In flight for a short distance the legs are allowed to dangle, but for a longer 

 flight these are drawn up and extended behind. Alighting on the water, it swims 

 like a miniature duck. 



While the love song of the Virginia Rail is a telegraphic or anvil-like sound, 

 the Sora sings a whistling kcr-wce, with a very plaintive and human tone. It is 

 repeated at frequent intervals in the height of the breeding season. 



But the Sora, like the Virginia Rail, has a great variety of other notes expres- 

 sive, doubtless, of varying emotions. A stone thrown into the cat-tails evokes a 

 great variety of grunts and squeaks and squeals, many doubtless from the Vir- 

 ginia Rails, but some can be distinguished as belonging to the Sora. The sounds 

 extend on all sides like the concentric ripples in the water from the impact of a 

 stone. An alarmed or curious Sora begins often with a sharp ee or ah soon to 

 change to the characteristic whinny. The whinny is at first loud and clear, 

 the notes following one another with great rapidity, descending in the scale, and 

 becoming fainter and fainter till they cease. At times the sound is musical and 



