Birds of Pennsylvania. 27 



ORDER paludicolj:. rails, etc. 



Suborder RALLI. Rails, Coots, Etc. 



Family BALLID^. Rails, Gallinules, Etc. 



Subfamily RALLIN^. Rails. 



Genus RALLUS. Linnjeus. 

 212. Rallus virginianus Linn. 



Virginia Kail. 



Description. 



IMuch smaller than either the Clapper or King Rails, but resembling them in form, 

 and resembling also B. elegans in colors ; upper parts olive-brown, with longitudinal 

 stripes of brownish-black ; line from base of bill over the eye reddish-white; throat 

 white ; neck before and breast bright-rufous ; abdomen and under tail coverts with 

 transverse bands of black and white, the former being the wider ; upper wing cov- 

 erts bright rufous-chestnut; under wing coverts black, with transverse lines of 

 Avhite ; iris red. 



Total length (from tip of bill to end of tail), about 7| inches; wing, 4; tail, 1^ 

 inches. 



Hab. — North America, from British provinces south to Guatemala and Cuba. 



Notwithstanding the fact that the plumage of the Virginia and 

 King Rails is similar, the species can readily be distinguished by the 

 great difference in size, the Virginia Rail being only about one-third 

 as large as the King Rail. This species arrives in Pennsylvania by 

 the first of May and remains with us until the middle of October — 

 specimens have been killed during the first week in November. 

 These birds, although only occasionally observed, are, I am certain, 

 much more plentiful about our large swamps and marshy river borders 

 than it is usually supposed. Frequenting, as they do at all times, 

 however, marshy districts, which are thickly covered with various 

 grasses, bushes, reeds, &c., it is rather exceptional to see them. Like 

 all the Rails, they are shy and timid. If approached they seldom fly, 

 but run rapidly and quickly conceal themselves among the thick tus- 

 socks or other suitable cover. They are seemingly in no way impeded 

 in making their retreat even across large-sized spaces of water on 

 which are floating a few blades of grass, leaves or twigs, over which 

 they run with the same celerity as when on the ground. The nest, a 

 frail structure consisting mainly of grass, is built commonly in a tus- 

 sock located generally in the most inaccessible portion of the swamp. 

 The eggs, it is said, vary in number from six to ten and are dirty 

 white, with numerous spots and diff"erent shades of brown. Nuttall 

 writes : " The female is so much attached to her eggs, after sitting, as 

 sometimes to allow of being taken up by the hand rather than desert 



