THE NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY. 59 



water. They also frequently kill themselves by flying against 

 chimneys and the lighted windows of houses. The Sora arrives 

 within our limits about the middle of April and the larger num- 

 ber leave early in October. 



Mr. E. W. Nelson gives an interesting account* of the habits 

 of the Sora in our vicinity: "In the spring of 1875, the sudden 

 rise of the water in the sloughs in this vicinity flooded a great 

 many water birds' nests, and among them Carolina Rail's nests. 

 Visiting the marshes soon after, I found that in every rail's nest 

 that had been flooded the eggs had been broken by the rail 

 piercing the side with her beak. In one instance the bird 

 was found beside the nest, and when I looked at the eggs 

 I found a portion of them broken and the contents still 

 oozing out. I found that the coots (Fulica americana) and the 

 gallinules had the same habit when their nests were destroyed 

 by the water, although it was less common with them than with 

 the rail. In autumn great numbers of these birds frequent the 

 floating weeds along the borders of rivers where they are some- 

 times found in such numbers that several may be killed at a 

 single discharge." 



The range of the Sora covers the whole of temperate North 

 America, breeding chiefly in the northern portion of its range. 



Porzana noveboracensis (Gmelin). Yellow Rail. 



Fulica novcboraccnsis GMELIN, S. N.. I. ii, 1788, 701. 



Rallus noveloracensis BONAPAETE, 1827. 



Porzana noveboracensis BAIBD, Lit. Rec. & Jour. Linn. Assoc. Penn. 



Coll., Oct. 1845, 255. 

 Popular synonyms: LITTLE RAIL, LITTLE YELLOW RAIL. 



A quite common summer resident although rarely seen on 

 account of its skulking habits. It may be readily recognized by 

 its white wing patches, the white barring of its back, and its 

 extremely small size. In April, 1889, while collecting with Mr. 

 Charles Robey at South Chicago, two perfect specimens of this 

 species were caught by his dog and brought to us alive and un- 

 hurt. It arrives within our limits early in April and departs in 

 September. 



The range of the Yellow Rail includes eastern North America, 

 and it is found, though less commonly, west to Utah and Nevada. 



Porzana jamaicensis (Gmelin). Black Rail. 



Ralhis jamaicensis GMELIN, S. N., I, ii, 1788, 718. 



'Birds of Northeastern Illinois. Bull, of the Essex Institute, Vol. VIII, 1876, 134. 



