280 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [1895 



Richmond says : " I doubt very much now whether it ever breeds 

 here, but it is common in August. Birds have been shot here, 

 one on November 8, '78, by Peter Burger, one on November 

 9, 78, by S. F. Baird, and one in March, 75." 



Inland, several were shot during the fall of '93, in Dulaney's 

 Valley (Dukehart); at Hagerstown, in October, 79, and Septem- 

 ber, '80 (Small); at " Cumberland during all of April (not seen 

 after May 1, as shooting stopped then), and from August to 

 October 15, '94" (Zacharia Laney). 



Porzana noveboracensis (215). Yellow Rail. 



" Eastern North America, not abundant, very secretive" (Key, 

 674), and as the bird is small it is no wonder it is not often seen; 

 possibly it may yet be found to breed with us. On April 27, '93, 

 one was shot on Patapsco Marsh by Richard Cantler, this I saw. 

 On May 18, '89, atHog Creek Marsh, Harford County, one was 

 flushed twice but not secured, by Mr. W. H. Fisher, and on 

 October 20, '94, one was presented to me in the flesh; it was 

 received with a mixed lot of birds, in a box sent from Back 

 River Neck by a market gunner. 



"In the collection of the National Museum are two Yellow 

 Rails, both of which were taken on the marshes of the Potomac 

 River near Washington, the first by T. E. Clark, October 4, 79, 

 the second by A. S. Skinner, March 28, '84" (H. M. Smith and 

 Wm. Palmer, Auk, v, 147). 



Porzana jamaicensis (216). Black Rail. 

 "Not often found in the United States, being one of our 

 rarest birds" (Key, p. 674). One secured at Piscataway, 

 Maryland, was presented to the Smithsonian Institute by John 

 Dowell, of Washington, D. C., (Smith. Report, '84, 145). "One 

 seen in the District of Columbia during September, '61. but not 

 secured. One taken 2 or 3 years ago is now in the Smithso- 

 nian " (A. C., 101). Several are recorded from Pennsylvania 

 and New Jersey, (Birds E. Pa. and N. J., 67). 



