PORZANA JAMAICENSIS : LITTLE BLACK RAIL. 289 



dog, creeping into the holes in the bog and hiding there 

 while we tried in vain to start them. I killed one with 

 my dog-whip, caught one alive in my hand, and the dog 

 brought me another, uninjured, which he had caught in 

 his mouth. From what I saw of their habits, I am con- 

 vinced that the only successful way of collecting these 

 birds is to look for them with a dog. Without one they 

 could never be forced from the ground " (Rev. B. Conn., 

 1877, p. 118). 



While it is hardly necessary to follow up the record 

 of this species in New England, I will present the 

 references I have collected : Bailey, Forest and Stream 

 Bird Notes, 1882, p. 124 ; Brewster, Bull. Nutt. Club, vi, 



1881, p. 186; Maynard, B. E. N. Am., 1881, p. 431 ; 

 Chamberlain, Bull. Nat. Hist. Soc. New Brunswick, 



1882, p. 56. Mr. Purdie informs me he has a man- 

 uscript record from Mr. G. A. Boardman, of several 

 specimens from the vicinity of Calais, Me. 



LITTLE BLACK RAIL, OR CRAKE. 



PORZANA JAMAICENSIS {Gni) CaSS. 



Chars. Smallest of all. Upper parts blackish, the hind-neck and 

 fore-back dark chestnut, all finely speckled and barred with 

 white ; head and under parts dark slate color, paler or whitening 

 on the throat ; the lower belly, flanks, crissum and under wing- 

 coverts barred with white. Quills and tail-feathers with white 

 spots. Length about 5.50 ; wing, 2 75-3.00 ; tail, 1.35 ; tarsus, 

 0.75 ; bill under 0.50. 



Still another New England rarity from the same ubi- 

 quitous but secretive family of the Rails is this dusky 



