V °'i90^ VI ] Weber, Virginia and Sora Rails. 19 



Besides the King's Chapel roost there are several other smaller 

 ones that have later been established in Boston, namely, one in the 

 Granery burying-ground, one in some trees on the Common, one 

 in Franklin Square, besides doubtless others. The roost at Frank- 

 lin Square is within fifty yards of the elevated train and at about 

 the level of the frequently passing trains, yet I have seen the birds 

 sleeping quietly there in the midst of the deafening racket. ^j 



In the early days the gathering in King's Chapel burying-ground 

 were viewed with alarm, for it was feared that the imported darl- 

 ings were about to migrate elsewhere, perhaps to the Mother 

 Country. Alas this migration has never taken place! 



THE VIRGINIA AND SORA RAILS NESTING IN 

 NEW YORK CITY. 



BY J. A. WEBER. 



The marshes inhabited by the rails are situated at the northern 

 portion of Manhattan Island and extend northward and eastward 

 from the foot of the hill at Fort George (190th Street and Amster- 

 dam Avenue). These marshes formerly lined the shore of the 

 Harlem River, but through street improvements have been separated 

 from the river and cut up into small areas. The water in these 

 marshes no longer rises and falls with the tide and the only con- 

 nection with the river is through drain pipes under the streets; 

 consequently the water is more or less fresh. 



The rails first attracted my attention during the early part of 

 June, 1902, when my brother who had climbed into an oak tree 

 overlooking one of the marshes, shouted to me that he saw some 

 water chickens running about in the swamp. I made a thorough 

 search of the marshes on the 24th of the same month and secured 

 a specimen, which proved to be the Virginia Rail (Ralhis virgin- 

 ianus). It was the 4th of June, 1905, however, before I discovered 

 any nest and eggs. This nest was found in the cattail marsh 



