282 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



and western New York. I can find records of only five specimens actually 



taken in New York State: 



Penn Yan, Yates co., N. Y. Spring 1870. (John Gilbert). Birds of Cen. N. Y., p. 35 



Watkins, Schu)4er CO., N. Y. Spring 1872. 



Jamaica, L. I. Spring 1879. R. B. Lawrence, N. O. C. Bui. 5:117 



Canarsie, L. I. Spring 1884. (C. Sargood). Forest and Stream, Aug. 7, 1884, p. 24; 



also, Grinnell, Forest and Stream, Aug. 7, 1884, p. 24 

 South Oyster Bay, L. I. Aug. i, 1884. (L. S. Foster). Forest and Stream, Aug. 7, 



1884, p. 24 



The Black rail has also been reported as seen at close range by Mr 

 F. S. Webster, Watervliet, 1873; by Dr T. J. Wilson, May 30, 1874, on 

 Seneca river, below Cayuga [Auburn Daily Advertiser, Sept. 3, 1887]; by 

 Nathan L. Davis near Brockport, October 1892; and by the late David 

 Bruce on two occasions at Lake Ontario, Monroe county. 



The nest of this bird found in Connecticut contained nine eggs, creamy 

 white, speckled all over with dots of rich reddish brown and a few heavier 

 ones near the larger end. Dimensions about 1.05 x .8 inches. 



The Black rail is even more difficult to fiush and more mysterious in 

 habits than the Yellow rail. Its note has been described by Mr March of 

 Jamaica as chi-chi-cro-croo-croo, several times repeated in a sharp and 

 high tone [Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, Water Birds, i : 379]. The Kicker, 

 whose notes are so fully described by Mr Brewster in the Auk, volume 

 18, pages 321-28, is sttpposed to be the Black rail, but may possibly refer 

 to the Yellow rail whose notes are doubtless similar. The commonest 

 Kicker notes are as follows: Kik-kik-kik, queeah; Kik-kik-kik, ki-queeah; 

 Kik-ki-ki-ki, ki-quccah; Kic-kic, kic-kic, kic-kic, kic-kic, ki-queeah. 



Crex crex (Linnaeus) 



Corn Crake 



Rallus crex Linnaeus. Syst. Nat. Ed. 10. 1758. 1:153 

 Crex crex A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. (217) 



crex, Gr. Kpei; Lat. crex, a crake, referring to the note 



Description. Wing coverts above and below chestnut, or rusty brown ; 

 quills rufous brown; bill, eyes and legs pale brown. Otherwise, in size and 

 color similar to an overgrown Sora. 



Length 10 inches; wing 5.75; tail 2- tarsus 1.6; bill .9. 



