ANNOTATED LIST OF THE BIRDS 133 



Mr. Chas. A. Urner obtained most satisfactory studies of 

 an immature bird on the Newark Marshes, August 16 and 

 September 3, 1922. It was with the common Night Heron 

 on both occasions. His report on the first occasion was 

 immediately recognizable, and specimens in the Museum 

 were thoroughly studied and compared. The observation of 

 September 3 was, therefore, as conclusive as possible. 



KING RAIL (Rallus elegans) 



The exact status in this territory of the largest and most 

 brightly colored of our Rails is still a matter of speculation. It 

 is apparently excessively shy and secretive, and is unques- 

 tionably more numerous than the few records would indicate. 



Long Island. Perhaps a rare summer resident, but there is no 

 definite breeding record. Also occasional in winter. Dutcher 

 records four specimens. Of these two were taken in summer, one 

 on November 2, 1886, and the fourth struck Montauk Point 

 Light on the remarkable date of March 3, 1887. Braislin (1907) 

 was only able to add that he had heard of several instances where 

 large and brightly colored Rails had been secured in autumnal 

 rail-bird "shoots," but impossible of absolute identification. Only 

 four other records have come to light since. On May 31, 1922, 

 however, Mr. F. M. Schott found the nest and nine eggs of a large 

 Rail in a fresh water cat-tail marsh near Astoria. Most unfortu- 

 nately no bird was seen. I have examined these eggs, and while I 

 could not identify them positively, the habitat is highly unlikely 

 for a Clapper Rail. 



ORIENT. Known only as a rare winter visitant ; December 

 8, 1904; December 28, 1919; January 22, 1919 (See Auk, 

 1920, p. 306). 



MASTIC. One record, May 12, 1918. 



Unknown elsewhere in New York State in our area. 

 New Jersey. Practically unknown in our area. A nest re- 

 ported found in 1895 on the Passaic River beJow Summit (H. H. 

 Hann), but the data given are unsatisfactory. Reported from the 

 marshes of Newark Bay near Elizabethport, May 21, 1921 (Urner). 

 A nest and nine eggs found in the Great Swamp about 1900 (La- 

 Rue K. Holmes). 



ENGLEWOOD REGION. One record, a male caught in a 

 muskrat trap December 14, 1919 (Weber) in the Overpeck 



