RAILS 143 



during April and May and again in October and November 

 along the coast. 



Mr. Boardman found it nesting in Washington County, the 

 nest being placed on the ground in marshes in similar situations 

 to that of the Sora. The eggs are bufFy brown, marked with 

 reddish brown, the markings being chiefly at the larger end. 

 Five to ten are laid and the average measurement is said to be 

 1.08 X 0.82. Nuttall compares the notes to the croaking of a 

 tree frog much like " 'krek, 'krek, 'krek, 'krek, 'krek, 'kuk, 

 'k'kh". 



Genus CREX Bechstein. 



217. Crex crecc (Linn.). Corn Crake; Land Rail; Corn 

 Creak. 



Plumage of adults : above light brown with black stripes ; wings rusty 

 brown, the greater coverts with a few whitish marks ; crown, a stripe each 

 side of head, fore neck and upper breast brown ; rest of head ashy gray ; 

 throat and belly white ; sides and under tail coverts barred brown and white. 

 Immature plumage : no gray on head, otherwise very simileir. Wing about 

 5.80 ; culmen 0.85 ; tarsus 1.60. 



Geog. Dist. — Europe and northern Asia, casual in Greenland, Bermuda and 

 eastern North America, casual in Maine. 



County Records. — Cumberland ; one taken at Dyke Marsh, Falmouth, 

 October 4, 1889, by John Whitney and now in Dr. Brock's collection, (Brock, 

 Auk. 13, p. 173). 



The name of this species comes from the creaking cry it 

 utters. In Europe it frequents meadows, marshes and grain 

 fields near rivers. Five to eight eggs are laid of a light red- 

 dish buff color spotted with reddish brown, the spots most 

 numerous about the larger end. Such eggs as I have seen 

 were very characteristic Seven from St. Florence, West 

 Lenby, G. B., May 19, 1895, measure 1.44 x 1.05, 1.45 x 1.05, 

 1.48 X 1.01, 1.38 X 1.02, 1.44 x 1.05, 1.55 x 1.02, 1.45 x 1.00. 

 The nest was composed of dry grass and was on the ground 

 among the growing grass. The habits are reported as very 

 similar to our American species of small Rails. 



