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and fore part of the breast yellowish-brown — ^the feathers tipped 

 with darker brown ; abdomen white ; flanks dusky, with white 

 bars ; lower tail coverts light red. Female with the plumage duller. 

 Length six inches and three quarters, wing three and a quarter. 



Notwithstanding this species is but seldom met with on Long 

 Island, I am not inclined to think it so exceedingly rare in this vicin- 

 ity as it is generally supposed. In the Southern States it is quite 

 common, and from the remarks made by Mr. Nuttall, we may infer 

 that it breeds on the borders of Fresh Pond, near Boston ; and it is 

 stated in the Fauna Boreali Americana, Part II. page 402, from a 

 note taken from Mr. Hutchins' manuscript, " that this elegant bird is 

 an inhabitant of the marshes on the coast of Hudson's Bay, near the 

 efiiux of the Severn River, from the middle of May to the end of 

 September." 



" It never flies above sixty yards at a time, but runs Avith great 

 dexterity among the long grass near the shore. In the morning 

 and evening, it utters a note which resembles the striking of a flint 

 and steel. At other time it makes a shrieking noise. It builds no 

 nest, but lays from ten to sixteen perfectly white eggs among the 

 grass." Its habits of skulking among the tall grass and reeds that 

 overgrow the wet and but seldom frequented marshes, as well as 

 its unwillingness to take wing, may, I think, in a measure account 

 for its apparent extreme scarcity Avith us. 



There is another species of Rail, for which I have made many 

 close and thus far unsuccessful searches. I speak of the Least 

 Water Rail, (O. Jamaiccnsis.) It is said to be not uncommon 

 in Louisana, and has been met with on the marshes in New Jersey, 

 and I haA'e no doubt it will yet be found on Long Island. It can 

 be distinguished from all other Rails, by the dusky color of its plu- 

 mage, as well as being the least of the Genus, as its name denotes. 



