134 BIRDS OF THE NEW YORK CITY REGION 



Marshes. Local gunners call the King Rail regular in the fall, 

 but the bird they mean is the Florida Gallinule. (Weber) 



CLAPPER RAIL (Rallus crepitans) 



A common summer resident in our salt marshes, often 

 heard but seldom seen. It is the noisiest of our Rails, calling 

 throughout the day as well as at night, and one bird will often 

 start a whole colony going. A few birds arrive early in April, 

 but the bulk of the summer resident population does not 

 arrive until the last of the month. 



Long Island. A common summer resident on the western end 

 of the island, but rare east of Shinnecock. April 3 to December 5; 

 occasional in winter. 



ORIENT. One breeding record; otherwise a rare, irregular 

 visitant, occurring at any time of year. 

 MASTIC. No record. 



LONG BEACH. Common summer resident. Reported by the 

 life-saving crew as heard calling March 21, 1919; otherwise not 

 recorded until mid- April; noted November 2, 1915 (L. N. 

 Nichols) ; one winter record, two birds January 28, 1912, one 

 captured alive (Cleaves and Griscom). 



New York State. Probably still to be found on Staten Island, 

 but most of the salt marsh now destroyed. Unrecorded from the 

 salt marshes of the Sound in our area. Accidental at Ossining 

 (Fisher). 



New Jersey. Rare and decreasing on the salt meadows of 

 Newark Bay (Urner). 



ENGLEWOOD REGION. Accidental on the Overpeck Marshes 

 September 1, 1913, specimen examined in the flesh by Dr. G. 

 Clyde Fisher. 



VIRGINIA RAIL (Rallus virginianus) 



This is easily our commonest Rail and is found throughout 

 the region in suitable habitats. While its presence is most 

 readily detected by its notes, a pig-like grunting in a descend- 

 ing scale, and a curious cut, cutta-cutta-cutta, it is more easily 

 observed and flushed than any other species. It arrives from 

 the south about the third week in April and is rarely seen 

 after October. 



