42 The Ornithology of Chester County 



ornithologist, and this record should have its proper 

 place on the State lists. 41 



45. Rallus elegans King Rail, Rather uncommon 

 transient, and rare summer resident. According 

 to Dr. Stone it has been found breeding along the 

 Brandywine at Pocopson (Bds. E. Pa. and N. J., 

 95). An adult female (No. 849, coll. F. L. B.) 

 with several partly developed eggs in the ovaries, 

 taken at Fetter's mill, near Howeltown, May 4, 

 1905; would probably have nested (Wils. Bull., 

 58, 32). Dr. Warren has obtained several speci- 

 mens, mostly in August and September (Bds. Pa., 

 1 890, 68 ) , and one was caught by a cat at Kennett 

 Square, Apr. 14, 1906 (Pennock, Cass., x, 48). 



46. Rallus virginianm Virginia Rail, "rail bird." 

 A rather rare transient and somewhat local summer 

 resident. There are not many migration records: 

 Nov. 7, 1879, and May 13, 1880, presumably near 

 West Chester, by Dr. Warren; and Berwyn vicin- 

 ity, Sept. 20, 1890 and Sept. 9, 1908; all captures. 

 Pennock states that two nests were taken in swamps 

 near streams, Kennett Square; one about 1878 by 

 Asher Palmer, and the other was taken by Charles 

 Miller. Five sets were taken in 1886, including sets by 

 Ladd and Pennock ( Oologist, iii, 40 and 46 ) ; a set 

 of 9 eggs by Jackson on June 2, and a set of 1 1 eggs 

 was found on the same date by another collector 

 (Orn, and Ool., xii, 25). I found a recently deserted 

 nest and heard the grunting notes of the owner, June 

 14, 1916, in a swamp at the head of Darby creek, 

 Berwyn, where several birds had been taken by 

 gunners on previous seasons. Careful search in fav- 



