138 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
Famity XVIII. RALLIDA® Raits, GALLInuLes, Coors. 
LXXV. RALLUS Linnzus. 1758. 
208. King Rail. 
Rallus elegans AUD. 1835. 
Casual around Montreal in summer. JDronne.) 
This large and handsome Rail, which until recently was con- 
sidered to be only a casual visitor to Ontario, is now known to 
breed plentifully in the marshes all along the River St. Clair. It 
has also been found at other points in southern Ontario, but the 
St.) Clair (Flats.seem to be itsifavourite *breedinge place.) lt 
arrives in May and leaves in September. (Wc/lwraith.) Observed 
once at Plover Pond, Middlesex Co., Ont. (R. Eliott.) 
Mr. Hine and Mr. E. Seton-Thompson have seen this species 
in Manitoba, where it is evidently a casual. 
MUSEUM SPECIMEN. 
One specimen purchased with the Holman collection in 188s. 
212. Virginia Rail. 
Rallus virgintianus LINN. 1766. 
A common summer migrant in New Brunswick. (Chamberlain,) 
Not uncommon along the St. Lawrence. (Dzonne.) A casual on 
the coast of Labrador, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Com- 
mon in western Quebec and eastern Ontario, where it breeds. 
Generally distributed throughout Ontario. A common summer 
resident in eastern Manitoba. Not seen to the west of that pro- 
vince, in the prairie region. Found on both the mainland and 
Vancouver Island; not common; breeds. Fannin.) Tolerably 
common summer resident in the Lower Fraser valley ; winters at 
Lake Okanagan, B.C. (Brooks.) 
, 
BREEDING Nores.—A nest was brought to me from a slough 
near Carberry, Manitoba, July 30th, 1884. It was found in a 
tussock of coarse grass, and was built of dry stems of the same. 
The eggs, eight in number, were quite fresh, and differed from 
the Carolina Rail only in being of a hghter colour and with 
reddish instead of umber spots, these chiefly about the larger end. 
