BIRDS OF KANSAS. 



Horicon Lake, Wisconsin, are, in dimensions: 1.25x. 88, 1.19x 

 .90, 1.20x.89, 1.18x.92, 1.19x.90, 1.20x.92, 1.22x.90, 1.19x 

 .89, 1.19x.89. 



SUBGENUS COTURNICOPS BONAPARTE. 



"Above, ochraceous, with broad black tips and narrow transverse white bars; 

 secondaries white, forming a conspicuous patch on the extended wing." 



Porzana novefcoracensis (GMEL.). 



YELLOW BAIL. 



Summer resident; rare. Arrive the first to middle of April; 

 return in October. 



B. 557. K. 575. C. 680. G. , 65. U. 215. 



HABITAT. North America, north to Nova Scotia, Hudson's 

 Bay, Manitoba and Minnesota; west to Nevada and California; 

 south to Cuba. 



SP. CHAR. "Adult: Yellowish ochraceous, very glossy above, where broadly 

 striped with black, the black intersected by narrow bars of white; belly whit- 

 ish; flanks dusky, narrowly barred with white; crissum light cinnamon; axillars, 

 lining of wing and exposed portions of secondaries white. Bill greenish black, 

 with the base dull yellowish orange; iris hazel; feet and claws light flesh color." 



There is a considerable range of individual variation, both in 

 size and markings, even among specimens from the same local- 

 itj- 



Stretch of 

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



Male 6.75 12.50 3.55 1.30 .85 .55 



Female... 6.50 11.75 8.45 1.00 .82 .54 



The habits and distribution of this species are imperfectly 

 known. I am inclined to believe that it ranges north on the 

 Pacific slope into British Columbia, and south to central Mexico. 



These birds are seldom met with, but this is not strange, as 

 they are crepuscular in habits, and rest hidden during the day 

 in their marshy haunts, where, at the least alarm, they run, skulk 

 and hide like mice, and it is next to impossible to force them to 

 take wing. 



Their nests are placed on the ground in marshy places, and 

 are said to be loosely constructed of grasses, etc. Eggs six to 

 ten, creamy buff, finely speckled and spotted with rusty brown; 

 in form, oval. Their average measurement, as given by Mr. 

 Ridgway, is 1.12x. 83. A single egg, taken by Dr. Hoy from a 



