3 86 



Trees, Stars, and Birds 



Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 

 FIG. 238. Sora, or Carolina rail. 



When migrating, soras 

 are sometimes seen in 

 towns and appear re- 

 markably tame. Many 

 are killed by flying 

 against chimneys and 

 windows. When 

 flushed from their nests 

 in the marshes, this and 

 other small rails are 

 loth to take to wing and 

 may be picked up alive. 

 In autumn many soras 

 frequent the floating 

 weeds along the borders 

 of rivers. 



Coots and gallinules belong to the same family as the 

 rails and are widely distributed. Both coots and galli- 

 nules have a curious horny frontal plate at the base of 

 the bill. In the gallinule this is conspicuous because 

 of its bright red color. 



Coots, or mud hens, spend much of their time in 

 flocks on the open water, like ducks, but seldom if ever 

 dive. Their toes are widened by lobes of skin extend- 

 ing down the sides, but there is not a complete web 

 uniting the toes, as in the foot of the duck. The beak 

 is narrow from side to side, and it lacks the comblike 

 edge that characterizes a duck's beak. The plumage of 

 the coot is a dark bluish slate color, pale below. 



The Florida gallinule is about 13 inches in length. 

 It looks much like a coot, but its long toes are desti- 



