PORZANA NOVEBORACENSIS : YELLOW RAIL. 287 



The eggs of Porzana Carolina are spotted just like 

 those of the foregoing Ralli, 

 but are readily distinguished 

 by their strong drab ground- 

 color, instead of the white or 

 creamy and pale buffy of the 

 former. They are rather 

 smaller than those of R. vir- 



giniamis, and perhaps more FIG. 60. -CAROLINA RAH- 

 obtuse, measuring about 1.20 X o. 



YELLOW RAIL, OR CRAKE. 

 PORZANA NOVEBORACENSIS (Gm.) Cass. 



Chary. Very small. Above, streaked with blackish and brownish- 

 yellow, thickly marked also with narrow white semicircles 

 and transverse bars. Below, pale brownish-yellow, fading on 

 the belly, deepest on breast, where many feathers are dark- 

 tipped ; flanks blackish, with numerous white bars ; crissum 

 varied with black, white, and rufous. Length about 6.00 ; wing, 

 3.25 ; tail, 1.50 ; bill, 0.50 ; tarsus, 0.87 ; middle toe and claw 1.12. 



This is represented by the older New England 

 authorities, and by others down to a quite recent date, 

 as a rare species. It is certainly uncommon, as com- 

 pared with either the Virginian or Carolinian Rail, but 

 there is every reason to believe it is a regular summer 

 resident of New England, and one generally distributed 

 in suitable places. Being insignificant in stature, of no 

 striking colors, and one of the most inveterate skulkers 

 of the reedy recesses, it is very liable to be overlooked. 

 The dates of its appearance and disappearance are 



