494 THE BIRDS OF MANITOBA THOMPSON. 



at this time small bauds of the species may be seen sailing high over 

 the jjrairie, apparently strengthening their wings before tUey are com- 

 pelled tojourney southward for the season. As September draws nigh 

 their numbers are increased, and the long array of the grand birds pre- 

 sent a most imposing spectacle as in serpentine lines they float away 

 after the sun. 



60. Rallus elegans. King Rail. 



Mr. Hine claims to have seen this near Winnipeg. At Carberry I 

 once got a flying glimpse of what I took for this bird, but it was 30 

 yards away, and I failed to get either a second glimpse or a shot at 

 it (Thompson). 



61. Rallus virginianus. Virginia Rail. 



Winnipeg: Common summer resident (Hine). "? Nest found at Car- 

 berry (Thompson). 



The fine specimen of this bird in Manitoba Museum, taken at Eea- 

 burn, where, Mr. Hine says, it is plentiful. It is, no doubt, more com- 

 mon in this country than is generally supposed ; for, as Dr. Coues 

 remarks, " their habit of skulking and hiding in the most inaccessible 

 places they frequent, renders them difficult of observation, and they 

 are usually considered rarer than they really are." The call of this 

 species is rendered " crik-cuk-rik-'k-'k-'k.'''' It is said to be partially 

 nocturnal. 



A nest was brought to me from a slough near Carberry, July 30, 1884. 

 It was found in a tussock of coarse grass, and was built of dry stems 

 of the same ; the eggs, eight in number, were quite fresh, and differed 

 from those of the Carolina Eail only in being of a lighter color, and 

 with reddish instead of umber spots, and chiefly about the large end; 

 one was IJ by |f , the others similar. The nest was of rushes and built 

 precisely likethat or the Carolina bird, but it was situated rather in a 

 damp meadow than in a marsh. I did not see the bird, but have little 

 doubt that it was the present species. 



Mr. Nash sends the following note : " It haunts low ground like the 

 rest of the order, but, so far as I have seen, they never go into deep- 

 water marshes ; in fact, they keep where there are bushes and low 

 trees — alders, willows, and the like ; and, when flushed, instead of 

 taking to the rushes, they invariably fly in amongst the bushes." 



62. Porzana Carolina. Sora. Common Rail. 



Common summer resident of all marshes. In September along Mouse 

 River, at the boundary, appeared to be rather common (Coues). Win- 

 nipeg: Summer resident; abundant (Hine). Eed River (Brewer). York 

 Factory (Bell). Portage la Prairie : Very abundant summer resident; 

 arrives about the middle of May ; leaves about the end of September 

 (Nash). Carberry : Abundant summer resident; breeding; and in the 



