CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 153 
in New Brunswick. (Chamberlain.) Rare migrant in Quebec. 
(Dionne.) A rare migrant in Ontario; occasionally taken in Toronto 
marsh. (MclIlwraith.) Of late years this bird has been taken at 
Toronto, Ont., every year and must occur more commonly than is 
supposed. (/. H. Fleming.) A fine specimen of the yellow rail 
was shot at Rockland, Ont. (G. R. White.) I have found this 
bird during the nesting season (June) at the mouth of the Thames 
river, Ont. Seen and heard fifteen miles southeast of Red Deer, 
Alta., in June, 1906, where it was undoubtedly breeding. (W. 
Saunders.) 
This species seems to be a far from rare summer resident in Mani- 
toba. Seton in his Birds of Manitoba, gives many instances of its 
occurence and the writer’s own observations agree with his express- 
ed opinions. A small rail that seemed to jump out of the sedge, 
with legs hanging down, and’ just as suddenly drop again has been 
observed as far west as Moose Jaw, but in no case was a specimen 
obtained. 
The following is Hutchin’s manuscript notice of the bird written 
in 1777. ‘This elegant bird is an inhabitant of the marshes on the 
coast of Hudson bay near the eflux of the Severn river, about 150 
miles south of York Factory, from the middle of May to the end of 
September. It never flies above sixty yards at a time, but runs 
with great rapidity among the long grass near the shores. In the 
morning and evening it utters a note which resembles the striking 
of a flint and steel; at other times it makes a shrieking noise. It 
builds no nest but lays from ten to sixteen perfectly white eggs 
among the grass.” 
216. Black Rail 
Porzana jamatcensts (GMEL.) BAIRD. 1845. 
Dr. Cottle of Woodstock, Ont., claims to have found a bird of 
this species at Ingersoll in 1856, and from my knowledge of Dr. 
Cottle I am satisfied his identification is correct. (Mcllwraith.) 
Mr. Nash, who collected in the Dundas marsh in 1874, writes Mr. 
Mcllwraith as follows in January, 1894: 
“Aug. 18th, 1874.—Shot four of these birds this evening at the 
upper end of Dundas marsh. My dogs put them up where the 
