218 General Notes. [^uk^ 



of Eastern North America,' p. 124, the color of the feet of the young is 

 described as "yellowish flesh-color," "grayish, or whitish," and by the 

 last-named author as "light." 



Although the Whistling Swan winters in great nimibers on the northern 

 coast of North Carolina, there are but few authentic records of the capture 

 of these magnificent birds for this State. — Arthur T. Wayne, Mount 

 Pleasant. S. C. 



Capture of the King Rail in Massachusetts.— I would like to report the 

 taking of a fine male King Rail {Rallus elegans) on October 10, 1907, on 

 the Charles River marshes, Needham, Mass. The bird has remarkably 

 fine plumage for that season of the year, and was extremely fat. — Fred. 

 H. Kennard, Boston. Mass. 



Nesting of the King Rail in Philadelphia County, Pa.— The King 

 Rail {Rallus elegans) is a very rare breeder nowadays — if it ever was a 

 common one — in the Delaware Valley and the discovery of a nest is worth 

 reporting, especially when found in the vicinity of Philadelphia, and par- 

 ticularly within the city limits. Bridesburg, on the Delaware River, is 

 about five miles from the City Hall and well within the city limits. In 

 the meadows at this locaUty it was my good fortune to find a King Rail's 

 nest on .Jmie 3, 1902. It was placed half a foot up in a clump of reeds, 

 two feet high in a shallow marsh, woven to the blades and stalks, the tops 

 being pulled down and interwoven into the nest and formed a sort of arch 

 over it. It contained two fresh eggs, which were taken and are still in the 

 writer's collection, probably the only eggs of Rallus elegans from Phila- 

 delphia in collections. 



A week or so later the dead rail was found in a ditch near the nest and its 

 skull (which I still have) collected; the bird being partially decomposed, it 

 was useless as a skin or for mounting. 



On June 26, 1907, I fomid a deserted King Rail's nest not a square 

 away from the site of the other, placed on muddy water in a shallow marsh 

 amid tussocks and thin and scattered stalks of cat-tails, along the edge of 

 a cat-tail marsh. 



These are the only King Rail's nests I have been able to find in North 

 Pliiladelphia, after diligent search for them during the past six years. — 

 Richard F. Miller, Philadelphia, Pa. 



Virginia Rail and Kentucky Warbler in New Jersey. — In the January 

 issue of 'The Auk' I noted Mr. Hunt's observations of these species on the 

 Pensaaken Creek, New Jersey. A few words on this subject may not be 

 amiss, as I fear a wrong impression of the rarity of these species is given 

 here. The Virginia Rail is rarely observed by the casual ornithologist, 

 but nevertheless it is a perfectly'' regular summer resident in suitable marshes 

 throughout the Delaware Valley. In my several trips to the Pensauken 

 region I have not infrequently observed or heard the Virginia Rail and 



