Lake Maxinkiiclcee, Physical and Biological Survey 517 

 41. VIRGINIA RAIL 



RALLUS VIRGINIANIS Liniu-eus 



Apparently rare. Our only record is of one seen October 1.",, 

 1907, standing on a log in a small pond west of the railroad track. 

 It walked along skulkingiy, apparently disliking to get in the water 

 . which it finally did, however, and disappeared in the rushes. 



The Virginia Rail pi-obably breeds at the lake, but we have 

 never found its nest there. The nest should be looked for among 

 tufts of reeds or grasses in or close to shallow water. It is usually 

 composed of dead vegetation and is rather compactly built. The 

 eggs are cream or buff^', sparsely spotted with reddish-brown and 

 obscure lilac. They usually number from 6 to 12 and measure 

 about 1.25 X .92 inches. 



42. CAROLINA RAIL; SORA 



PORZANA CAROLINA (L,innaus) 



The Sora is probably a common summer resident in the tall 

 grasses and sedges along the Outlet and about Norris Inlet. They 

 are not often seen, as they almost never fly, even when chased, 

 but they spend their time skulking through the grass. They are 

 very noisy, particularly when frightened, and one individual can 

 give the impression of a whole swamp full of them. In 1901 the 

 first was seen April 28, and they were heard or seen ciuite fre- 

 quently from that time on, chiefly in Green's marsh, alor^g the 

 Outlet, or in the adjacent marsh. On May 31, 1901, a nest with 10 

 eggs was found in the Norris Inlet marsh. About June 6, after a 

 heavy storm, a small downy young, much like a small chicken, was 

 found dead on Long Point. On June 8, an old bird was seen lead- 

 ing her young along the south shore of Outlet Bay, very much like 

 a hen leads her brood. One seen by the Outlet July 24, 190(i. 

 was quite tame and sufl"ej-ed us to approach within about six 

 feet of it when it skulked away through the sedges. Another 

 was seen on the same day, which came squawking down to the 

 water's edge and really appeared to be swimming in the shallow 

 water. The latest date on which we have noted this rail at Maxin- 

 kuckee was December 11, 1900, when one was seen at Norris Inlet 

 marsh. 



The nest of the Carolina Rail is poorly constructed of grass and 

 weeds, placed on the ground in a tussock of grass on boggy ground 

 where there is a good growth of taller grass or weeds. The eggs 

 are dark cream or drab with reddish-brown spots, most numei-ous 

 at the larger end. They measui-e about 1.2(ix0.9() inches. 



