BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 107 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Space around the base of the bill extending downwards on 

 the neck before and over the top of the head, black; under 

 parts greenish-brown, with longitudinal bands of black, many- 

 feathers having narrow stripes of white on their edges; behind 

 the eyes, side of the neck and breast, fine bluish-ashy, with 

 circular spots and transverse bands of white on the breast; 

 middle of abdomen and under tail coverts white; sides and 

 flanks with transverse bands of brownish-black and white; bill 

 greenish-yellow; legs dark green. 



Length, 8.50; wing, 4.25; tail, 2. 



Habitat, temperate America. 



PORZANA NOVEBORACENSIS (Gmelin). (215.) 



YELLOW RAIL. 



I introduce this Rail with the satisfaction of having seen 

 enough of them to regard them no longer as mere semi-occa- 

 sional stragglers, but as rare summer residents. Mr. Shroeder, 

 of St. Paul, for many years the only taxidermist in that city, 

 had two specimens of them in 1865, and Mr. Howling of Min- 

 neapolis, secured one in 1869, since which I have found two 

 more in private collections. I have never seen one of them 

 alive. I could not learn who obtained those in the collections 

 of either of the taxidermists, but the others were secured by 

 two hunters* who supposed they were "some new kind of 

 snipe." I know nothing of their local habits except that those 

 referred to were obtained in the season when the other Rails 

 were breeding. I hope to learn more about them in other 

 localities in the State in due time. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Entire upper parts ochre-yellow, with longitudinal wide 

 stripes of brownish-black, and transverse narrow stripes of 

 white; neck and breast reddish-ochre-yellow, many feathers 

 tipped with brown; middle of abdomen white; flanks and ven- 

 tral region with wide transverse bands of dark reddish-brown 

 and narrow bands of white; under tail coverts rufous, with 

 small spots of white; under wing coverts white. 



Length, 6; wing, 3.25; tail, 1.75. 



Habitat, eastern North America. 



Note. But one seen since the above was written ten years 

 ago. 



Jas. Smithsou (since dead) and John R. Smith, of Lockport, N. Y. 



