PORZANA JAMAICENSIS I LITTLE BLACK RAIL. 289 



dog, creeping into the holes in the bog and hiding there 

 while we tried in vain to start them. I killed one with 

 my dog-whip, caught one alive in my hand, and the dog 

 brought me another, uninjured, which he had caught in 

 his mouth. From what I saw of their habits, I am con- 

 vinced that the only successful way of collecting these 

 birds is to look for them with a dog. Without one they 

 could never be forced from the ground " (Rev. B. Conn., 

 1 877, p. 1 1 8). 



While it is hardly necessary to follow up the record 

 of this species in New England, I will present the 

 references I have collected : Bailey, Forest and Stream 

 Bird Notes, 1882, p. 124 ; Brewster, Bull. Nutt. Club, vi, 



1881, p. 186; Maynard, B. E. N. Am., 1881, p. 431 ; 

 Chamberlain, Bull. Nat. Hist. Soc. New Brunswick, 



1882, p. 56. Mr. Purdie informs me he has a man- 

 uscript record from Mr. G. A. Boardman, of several 

 specimens from the vicinity of Calais, Me. 



LITTLE BLACK RAIL, OR CRAKE. 

 PORZANA JAMAICENSIS (Gm.) Cass. 



Chars. Smallest of all. Upper parts blackish, the hind-neck and 

 fore-back dark chestnut, all finely speckled and barred with 

 white ; head and under parts dark slate color, paler or whitening 

 on the throat ; the lower belly, flanks, crissum and under wing- 

 coverts barred with white. Quills and tail-feathers with white 

 spots. Length about 5.50 ; wing, 2 75-3.00 ; tail, 1.35 ; tarsus, 

 0.75 ; bill under 0.50. 



Still another New England rarity from the same ubi- 

 quitous but secretive family of the Rails is this dusky 



