65 



OS. Nycticorax violaceus (Linn.). Yellow-crowned 

 Nig-ht Heron. 



Breeding Range — Tropical and sub-tropical America, northward to 

 N. Carolina and casually farther. 



Very rare straggler from the soutli. TurnhiiU says tliat it has 

 been seen on the borders of the Schuylkill near Philadelphia. 



In late ypars only two captures have come to our notice. Both of 

 these specimens were mounted by Mr. Chas. A. Voelker, and were 

 exhibited before the Club ; one was secured in May, 1892, near Cape 

 May, N. J., and the other during the same season near Phoenixviile, 

 Pa. The latter iiad the ovaries so distended as to make it highly 

 probable that it was breeding somewhere in the immediate vicinity. 



Family Gruidee — The Cranes. 



Only one species has been reported from this district. 



[94.] Griis americana (Linn.). Whooping Crane. 



Breeding Range — Interior N. A., northward to Saskatchewan. 

 Very rare straggler in former years. Turnbull states that he saw 

 three off the inlet at B^^esley's Point, N. J., in 1857, and Wilson 

 mentions it as occurring along the coast during his time, and records 

 one nest found at Cape May.* 



Family Rallidee.— The Rails and Coots. 



Ten species occur in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Only tliree, 

 however, are of very common occurrnnce, the Clapper Rail and 

 Virginia Rail as summer resiilents and tlie Sora as a transient. 



The King Rail is tolera!>ly common in summer, and tlie Florida 

 Gallinule and Coot in the migrations, but the other species are quite 

 rare. 



* Dr. Ezra Michener (Birds of Chester Co.) states that a specimen of the Sand- 

 hill Crane ((?. mexicana) was shot on White Clay creek, Chester county, Pa., 

 and presented to him. Subsequently it went to t'ne museum of Swarthmore 

 College, and was presumably destroyed by fire when the college was burned, 

 so that it is impossible to verify the identification. 



