RAILS. 215 



ground or water. Food, insects, aquatic 

 animals and vegetable substance. Young, 

 covered with down when hatched and active; 

 black. 



175. KING RAIL. 



Large, 18; ash-red above, distinctly 

 streaked with dark-brown, chestnut red on 

 wing-coverts and beneath; flanks banded 

 with white; throat, line from bill over eye, 

 and abdomen, white; bill and feet, brown, 

 fig. 159. Usually occurs on fresh-water 

 marshes, but occasionally found on salt 

 marshes. Breeds in May. Nests, placed on 

 grounds, eggs, 5-7, buff spotted with brown. 

 Cries, harsh and craking. Eastern U. S., 

 north to the middle states; casually to Mass., 

 Me. and Ontario. 



176. VIRGINIA RAIL. 



Similar to last in color but smaller, 10. 

 Young, nearly black. Besides the harsh, 

 rail-like craking, rapidly given, it utters a 

 chuckling note when slightly alarmed and a 



