116 RAILS. 



sent. Downy young, black with orange bristles at base of 

 bill. Temperate N. A., breeding from the middle slates north- 

 ward ; migrates southward in early Oct. to winter from the 

 Carolinas to the Bahamas, West Indies and northern S. A. ; 

 comes north in April ; breeds in early June. Notes not as 

 rapid as in a, 2 ; gives a whistling note like "Cur-iuc" in ad- 

 dition to some short chuckles, also gives a piping cry when 

 alarmed. Very common in nearly all fresh- water marshes if 

 wet enough ; also occurs on salt marshes, especially during 

 migration. 



2. SPOTTED CRAKE, P. POKZANA. A little smaller 

 than in 1 with head, neck and breast quite thickly spotted 

 with white. Northern parts of the Old World; occasional in 

 GreenJand. 



c. Buffy Kails. Coturnicops. 



Small rails which differ from b in being yellowish-buff, 

 in having white secondaries and no conspicuous black mark- 

 ings. 



1. YELLOW RAIL, C. NOVEBOKACENSIS. 6.75 ; bill, .55 ; 

 yellowish-buff becoming reddish on neck, breast and un ier 

 tail coverts broadly streaked above and on flanks with dark- 

 brown ; abdomen, white; white-tipped secondaries, conspicu- 

 ous in flight. Young paler below. Breeds north of the U. S. ; 

 migrates south in Sept. and early Oct. north in May; winters 

 in Fla. and Cuba. When disturbed utters a squeaking sound. 

 Rare. 



d. Dusky Kails. Creciscus. 



Smallest of our rails and very dark in color with no very 

 conspicuous white markings. 



1. BLACK RAIL, C. JAMAICENSIS. 5.50; bill, .55; 

 veiy dark brown above ; spotted and transversely banded with 

 white ; back and neck chestnut-red ; sides of head and under 

 portions, bluish-ash, banded on abdomen and under tail cov- 

 erts with white. Young, duller; throat, whitish; head, red- 

 dish. Breeds throughout temperate N. A. north to Mass., 



