BIRDS OF NEW YORK 271 



general is considered degenerate and several species are threatened with 

 extermination. We fear that our own Black rail may be among this number. 



Rallus elegans Au(lulx>n 

 King Rail 



Plate 25 



Rallus elegans Audubon. Ornithological Biographies. 1835. 3: 27, pi. 203 

 DeKav. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 260, fig. 221 

 A. O.'U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 208 



ral'lus, Lat. , rail, referring to the rattling cry; e'legans, choice, elegant 



Description. U])])er ])arts hroum, or brownish black, the feathers 

 broadly margined with tawny olive; whig and tail feathers olive-brown; 

 wing coverts varying from rufous to rich chestnut; top of head and hind 

 neck plain dark brown; throat and line over the eye nearly white; breast 

 and jorcneck deep cinnamon or rufous; sides, flanks and axillars browaiish 

 black, distinctlv l)arred with white; under tail coverts white coarsely spotted 

 with blackish; bill dusky brown on top and ti|3, base and lower mandible 

 mostly yellowish brown; legs yellowish brown; e)-es reddish brown; legs and 

 bill tinged with reddish in high plumage. 



Length 17-19 inches; extent 23-25; wing 6-7; tail 2.5; l)ill 2.1-2.5; 

 tarsus 2.3; middle toe and claw 2.2-2.6; tiliia bare about .7-1. 



Field marks. The King rail is distinguished from the Virginia rail by 

 its nitich greater size; from the Clapper rail by the general olive-brown, 

 instead of grayish color of the upper parts, and the bright rufous instead of 

 buffy breast. It is also a fresh-water species, whereas the Clapper rail 

 inhabits the salt or brackish marshes. 



Distribution. The King rail inhabits the eastern half of the United 

 States, being resident in the Southern States. In New ^'ork it is apparently 

 an uncommon summer resident and is most abundant in the great marshes 

 of central and western New York. Dutcher records fom" specimens from 

 Long Island [see Auk, 5: 176]. From western New York there are several 

 records by Langille, Reinecke, Savage, Posson, Eaton and Bruce. These 

 are mostly fall birds, killed in August, September and October. The 

 earliest date of arrival in the State is March 3d, 1887, when a specimen 

 struck the Montauk Light. The latest dates are November 2d, 1886, 



