RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. 141 



by its generally grayish instead of brownish or blackish upper parts, by its 

 much paler breast and flanks and paler wing-coverts. 



Range. Breeds in salt-water marshes of eastern North America from 

 Connecticut to the Gulf of Mexico ; winters in small numbers from near the 

 northern limit of its range southward. 



Washington, A. V., one record. Long Island, common S. R., Apl. to Oct., 

 a few winter. Sing Sing, A. V. 



Nest, of grasses, on the ground, in grass-grown, salt-water marshes. Eggs, 

 eight to twelve, buffy white, spotted and speckled with rufous-brown, 1-72 x 1-20. 



The Clapper Rail is an inhabitant of grassy, salt-water marshes, and, 

 in the southern parts of its range, of mangrove swamps. It is almost 

 impossible to flush these birds unless their haunts are invaded by an 

 unusually high tide, when a boat may be pushed through the meadows 

 and the birds forced to take wing. I have heard birds calling in the 

 tall grass within a few feet of me, and have made a wild rush in their 

 direction, only to be mocked a moment later by apparently the same 

 bird calling from a point almost within reach. They dodge about over 

 well-traveled pathways like children in a game of blindman's buff. 



While not strictly gregarious, they live in colonies, and the long, 

 rolling call of one bird is sometimes taken up and repeated by others 

 until there is a general outcry through the marsh. 



21 la. R. 1. saturatus Hensh. LOUISIANA CLAPPER RAIL. A local 

 race of the Clapper Rail found in the marshes of Louisiana. Its characters 

 appear not to be well understood. It is much darker than crepitans, but not 

 so dark as scottii. " W., 5-65 ; Tar., 1-97 ; B., 2-27 " (Ridgw.). 



Range. Coast of Louisiana. 



2 lib. B. 1. scottii (Senn.). FLORIDA CLAPPER RAIL. Differs from 

 crepitans in being black, fuscous, or olive-brown above, with olive-gray mar- 

 gins to the feathers ; in having the neck and breast cinnamon-rufous washed 

 with brownish, and in having the belly and flanks black instead of gray. In 

 fact, the general color of scottii suggests a King Rail, but the latter may always 

 be known by its rufous wing-coverts and clear cinnamon-rufous neck and 

 breast. W., 5-50 ; Tar., 1-90 ; B., 2-40. 



Range. Gulf coast of Florida. 



212. Ballus virginianus Linn. VIRGINIA RAIL. Ad. Upper parts 

 fuscous or black, the feathers bordered by pale grayish brown ; wings and 

 tail dark grayish brown; wing-coverts rufous, lores whitish, cheeks gray, 

 throat white, rest of the under parts cinnamon-rufous ; flanks and under tail- 

 coverts barred or spotted with black and white. Downy Young. Glossy 

 black. L., 9-50 ; W., 4-30 ; Tar., 1-30 ; B., 1-50. 



Range. Breeds from northern Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Long Island to 

 Manitoba and Labrador ; winters from near the southern limit of its breeding 

 range southward. 



Washington, probably P. R. Long Island, common S. R., Apl. to Oct. ; a 



