BIRDS OF XEW YORK 



277 



\'irginia, Missouri and California to South America. It is our most abundant 

 species of Rail, being common in the marshes of central New York and the 

 Great Lake region and probably breeding in nearly ever}- count}' in the 

 State, but is uncommon as a siimmer resident in our coastal district. It 

 is an abundant transient visitant on the tidal marshes, as well as throughout 

 the interior, but is txndnubtedly less common than formerly on account of the 

 great slaughter b\' 

 gunners, which at- 

 tends its autumnal 

 migration. Spring 

 arrivals on the 

 coast date from 

 the 28th of April 

 to the 9th of May 

 as shown by Mr 

 Butcher's Notes. 

 In western New 

 York it an'i\'es 

 from the 20th to 

 the 30th of April, 

 and in Canan- 

 daigua, on one oc- 

 casion, I heard its note on the 5th of April. On the 6th of March 1900, a 

 Sora was picked up in the snow at Buffalo and brought to Mr Ottomar 

 Reinecke. It was greatly emaciated and had probably been driven out of 

 its course by the strong southwest wind which had prevailed for three da}-s 

 before its capture. This is one of man}' similar occurrences in the Eastern 

 States. The Sora is commonest during September and earl}' October, 

 departing for the south from October loth to the 30th, a few stragglers 

 sometimes remaining until the marshes are entirel}' frozen. 



The nest of the Sora is composed of coarse reeds and grasses which are 

 piled up among the growing grasses until the top is a few inches above the 

 water which usually covers the site selected to a dejith of 2 or 3 inches. 



Sora. 



Porzana Carolina (Linnaeus). Immature specimen in Slate Museum. 

 I nat. size 



