( 210) 



coverts dull chestnut ; primaries dark brown ; inner secondaries 

 and tail feathers same as the back ; throat white ; fore part and 

 sides of the neck, with the breast, bright orange-brown ; abdomen 

 and sides of the body dark brown, barred with white ; tibia and 

 hind part of abdomen pale grayish-brown, faintly barred with 

 darker ; lower tail coverts white, with a black spot near the end, the 

 middle feathers black, barred with white. 



During my frequent excursions on Long Island, I have not had 

 the good fortune to meet with this large and beautiful Rail, and have 

 only seen one specimen that was procured in that locality, which 

 was shot in the vicinity of Williamsburg, and is now in the valua- 

 ble collection of George N. Lawrence, Esq., to whom I am indebted 

 for the opportunity of making the above description. 



The Red-breasted Rail was first described by Mr. Audubon. 

 From his remarks, we may infer that it was observed by Wilson, 

 and considered by him identical with the Clapper Rail, which it is 

 not unlike Wilson's figure, I think justifies the remark, and I 

 have no doubt that he supposed it to be a fine adult specimen of 

 Rallus crepitans, to which it is nearly allied in form and plumage. 

 On making a close comparison, we find it differs in size and mark- 

 ings — and according to Mr. Audubon, very different in its habits. 

 That gentleman observes that " the Rallus elegans is altogether a 

 fresh water bird, while the R. crepitans never removes from the 

 salt water marshes that are met with along our Eastern Atlantic 

 coasts, from the Jerseys to the Gulf of Mexico. The present spe- 

 cies is found at considerable distance inland, where it breeds, and 

 spends the whole year; whereas the latter never goes farther from 

 its maritime haunts than the borders of the salt water marshes, and 

 this merely on certain occasions, when driven thither by high tides. 

 The Fresh-water Marsh Hen, besides, is confined to the Southern 

 States — a few stragglers only having been observed farther eastward 

 than the State of Pennsylvania, and these only in fresh water mea- 

 dows." Hence we may conclude that its occurrence with us is ext- 

 remely rare. 



