AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



91 



inside and out witli capacious pock- 

 ets to hold tiie y;ame. 



Here you have the complete, up- 

 to-date, modern sportsman: A man, 

 a gun (not the old double-barrel, 

 however, they use a six shot re- 

 peater now), a hunting coat, hat, 

 cartridge belt, leggings, pair of 

 hunting boots, and lastly (but most 

 important) either a pointer or setter 

 dog. Quite a formidable outfit to 

 make war upon a flock of little 

 birds. 



As the matter stands now, the 

 game birds (quail, woodcock, grouse, 



and many ducks) are rapidly disap- 

 pearing in many sections of the 

 country. 



it does not take a Solomon to see 

 what the remedy should be. Many 

 a hunter who now comes home with 

 a full game bag, could not even get 

 a sparrow if deprived of his four- 

 footed companion. Now you wise 

 men who make the laws. Just one 

 more. ''Hunting ivith dogs prohibit- 

 ed at all seasons." The game birds 

 will then need no more protection. 

 AVICULA. 



KING RAIL. 



A. O. V. JWo. 208. (.Halluj eleganj.) 



RANGE. 



Fresh water marshes of eastern United States from southern New Eng- 

 land, New York, and Illinois, southwards. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length 18 inches; extent 24.5 inches, tail 3.25 inches. Bill blackish 

 above, yellowish below, shading to dark at tip. 



Male and female. — Upper parts including top of head, dark brown. Pale 

 streak of buff extends from bill over the eye. Chin, throat and spot on 

 lower eyelid, white. Sides of head, neck and breast, reddish brown. 

 Flanks and lower part of abdomen black crossed by white bars. Feathers 

 of wings and back edged with olive. Distinguished from the Clapper Rail 

 which it resembles in size and shape, by the brighter markings on the 

 back, and reddish color below. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



These rails make a rude nest of grass and weeds, which is placed on the 

 ground, in a marsh, or in a clump of grass just above the water. They 

 lay from six to twelve eggs, of a pale buff color, sparsely spotted with 

 reddish brown. 



