BIRDS OF KANSAS. 137 



with reddish white; tertials widely striped, like the scapulars; remiges plain 

 umber brown; rectrices raw umber, with a dusky, medial stripe. Lower man- 

 dible and edges of upper brownish yellow, ridge of upper and tips of both 

 deep brown; iris bright red; feet yellowish brown, tinged with olive; claws of 

 the same color. Downy young: Uniform glossy black; bill dusky, the end, and 

 incomplete wide baud near the base (enclosing nostril), pale yellowish or whit- 

 ish (in the skin); legs and feet brownish (in skin)." 



Stretch of 

 Length. -wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 17.00 23.25 6.75 3.00 2.35 2.35 . 



Female... 15.00 21.25 6.00 2.75 2.10 2.25 



This bright colored Rail breeds throughout its range, and is 

 abundant in the Mississippi valley. Its call note, ' ' Creek, creek, 

 creek, creek," and of flight, "Cark, cark, cark, " can often 

 be heard both night and day, and at times during the early 

 breeding season they are almost as noisy as the Guinea-hens. 

 If it were not for its voice its presence would seldom be 

 known, as it skulks and hides from its pursuers, and when hard 

 pressed runs into the deeper waters within the reeds and rushes, 

 preferring to swim (and can also dive) to taking wing, know- 

 ing well that it is safer within its watery, grassy cover, for which 

 it is so well adapted. 



Its flights, when not suddenly started, are at dusk and during 

 the night. It springs into the air with dangling legs and rapid 

 strokes of its short wings; but if going any distance, its legs, 

 like its neck, are soon stretched out to their full extent, flying 

 rather slowly and near the ground. 



Its food consists of insects, worms, tadpoles, small snails, 

 etc. ; seeds of the various kinds of water grasses also help to 

 make up the bill of fare. Its nest is pla.ced on the ground, in 

 marshy places, at or near the edge of water, generally upon a 

 hummock, in a thick, heavy growth of grass, or under a bush, 

 and made of coarse grasses, weeds and rushes; is quite bulky, 

 and so woven together as to often form a partial cover over- 

 head. Eggs six to twelve, 1.63x1.25; pale bluish to cream 

 white, sparingly speckled and spotted with various shades of 

 reddish brown, and shell stains of purple and lilac, the spots 

 thickest and often running together around larger end; in form, 

 oval. 



