176 Beyer, Allison and Kopman, Birds of Louisiana. [\nrii 



of the southern section of the State are preeminently the home of this 

 species; it is most frequently found feeding on the borders of wet woods, 

 but sometimes in their depths, as well as about canals and ditches on cul- 

 tivated lands, and along bayous in the marsh. Local (Creole) name: 

 Grosbec. 



81. Whooping Crane {Grus americana). A winter bird, visiting the 

 coast in considerable nmnbers. 



82. Sandhill Crane (Grus mexicana). Resident on the coast, fre- 

 quently occurring there in large numbers. 



83. King Rail (Rallus elegans). Chiefly a winter bird, but probably 

 breeds in fresh or brackish marshes near the coast, and at suitable localities 

 in the interior of the State, as about the marshy edges of the lakes and 

 swamp sloughs in the north central and northeastern sections of the State. 



84. Louisiana Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans saturatus). This is 

 the common rail of the coast, where it is extremely abundant. It occurs 

 in fresh or brackish marshes a short way from the coast as well as in marshes 

 bordering directly on salt water. It occurs along the Mississippi River 

 as far north as the upper quarantine station. Nesting begins fairly early 

 and the young birds are out of the egg by the first of June or even earlier. 



85. Virginia Rail (Rallus virginianus) . A common winter \'isitor, 

 frequenting almost any wet place where there is suitable cover. It has 

 been seen at New Orleans as late as April 7. It arrives in southern Louisi- 

 ana about October \. 



86. SoRA (Porzana Carolina). While not breeding in Louisiana, this 

 species is very common there throughout a large part of the year. It 

 reaches the rice fields, especially those along the lower course of the Miss- 

 issippi, by the middle of August, and becomes very abundant in September. 

 It winters in smaller numbers, and grows common again in spring. Most 

 leave by the first week in April, but a few are seen until end of the month. 



87. Yellow Rail (Porzana noveboracensis) . Fairly common in winter, 

 especially in rice fields. Birds of this species are sometimes caught by 

 hunting dogs. 



88. Purple Gallinule (lonornis martinica). Resident, but rare in 

 winter. Commonest near the coast, being found along bayous through 

 the marshes and swamps, about rice fields where the ditches and canals are 

 fringed by hea\y growths of weeds, rushes, and grasses, and even about 

 the marshy edges of lakes and swamp sloughs in the interior of the State. 

 The main body of this species in Louisiana is chiefly migratoiy, and in the 

 case of the few resident individuals there is considerable local movement 

 in winter. Nesting usually starts the latter part of April. Many nests 

 with fresh eggs have been found on the Company's Canal, near New Orleans, 

 on April 28. Local name: Blue Rail. 



89. Florida Gallinule (Galinula galeata). While occurring in the 

 same localities as the Purple Gallinule, this species is found more in open 

 marshes where the cover is not so dense than in places frequented by the 

 Purple Gallinule. However, it has been found nesting commonly in 



