BIRDS OF KANSAS. 139 



1.28x.91, 1.30x.92, 1.32x.92, 1.35x.92, 1.30x.93, 1.29x.95; 

 cream white, thinly spotted with reddish brown, and faint mark- 

 ings of lilac; thickest around larger end; in form, oval to ovate. 



GENUS PORZANA VIEIIXOT. 



"Bill shorter than the head, compressed, straight; nostrils in a wide groove, 

 with a large membrane; wings moderate; primaries longer than tertials; tail 

 short; legs rather robust, the tarsus about the length of the middle toe; toes 

 long, the inner one slightly shorter than the outer. General form compressed 

 and slender." 



SUBGENUS PORZANA. 



Secondaries without white. Wings more than 4.00; above, olive brownish, 

 striped with black. (Ridgway.) 



Porzana Carolina (LINN.). 

 SORA. 



PLATE X. 



Summer resident; rare; in migration, abundant. Arrive the 

 middle of April to first of May; begin laying about the middle 

 of May; return in September to October. 



B. 555. R. 574. C. 679. G. 269, 64. U. 214. 



HABITAT. The whole of temperate North America; breeding 

 chiefly northward; south to the West Indies and northern South 

 America. 



SP. CHAR. "Adult: Above, bright olive brown, with longitudinal spots of 

 black, some of the feathers edged with white; top of head with a broad longi- 

 tudinal stripe of black; anterior portion of head, with chin and throat, black; 

 sides of head and neck (except as described), jugulum and breast light plumbe- 

 ous; abdomen white; anal region and crissum creamy white or pale buff; flanks 

 sharply barred with white and slate color. Young: Similar, but lores and su- 

 perciliary stripe brownish, the chin and throat whitish; rest of neck, with 

 jugulum and breast, light brownish; bill greenish yellow (more orange, especi- 

 ally at base, in summer adults); iris brown; legs and feet greenish. Downy stage 

 chick a few days old: Bill short, exceedingly compressed, high at base, rap- 

 idly tapering, the tip deflected; the whole body densely covered with dull black 

 down, beyond which are produced abundant long, glossy black, hair-like fila- 

 ments. Upon the throat is a tuft of stiff, coarse, bristle-like feathers of a bright 

 orange color; these are directed forward, and give the bird a most singular 

 appearance." 



Stretch of 

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



Male 8.75 14.00 4.20 2.00 1.30 .85 



Female... 8.25 13.00 4.00 1.90 1.30 .80 



This species is more abundant throughout the United States 

 than any other of the family, and, as it occasionally visits the 



