114 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



Rare transient, but formerly, and possibly still, a summer resident 

 at several localities in the State. The elusive habits of the smaller 

 Rails render it difficult to judge of their abundance. 



The first specimen from this neighborhood was probably one in 

 Peale's museum, taken about 1806 in the vicinity of Philadelphia. 1 

 Dr. Trudeau told Audubon that they nested in great numbers at 

 Salem, but so far as I know, no one has verified this statement. 



In 1844 and 1845 three nests of this species were found near Bees- 

 ley's Point, Cape May county, 2 and there is no reason why the bird 

 should not be found breeding in the same vicinity to-day. 



In May, 1872, Mr. C. L. Mather found a nest with eight eggs on 

 the marshes along Rancocas Creek, about five miles from Mt. Holly, 

 and shot the bird, 3 and in 1885 a set of eggs now in Mrs. Brown's 

 collection was collected near Tuckerton. t 



The only records of the capture of specimens beside one taken with 

 the Beesley's Point nests are as follows : 



Salem: Wm. Patterson. 4 



Mouth of Big Timber Creek, near Camden; September 22d, 1887; 

 "W. J. Sherratt" [=W. J. Rogers]. 5 



Also one flushed by Prof. A. H. Phillips at Princeton. 6 



217 Crex crex (Linnaeus). 

 Corn Crake. 



Adults. Length, 10-10.50. Wing, 5.70-6. Above, light grayish-brown, 

 striped with black ; wings, mainly light rufous ; breast and sides, pale grayish- 

 brown, the latter barred with white; throat and abdomen, white. 



Accidental straggler from Europe, probably by way of Greenland. 

 Only two instances of its occurrence in the State are known. One 

 shot by Mr. Wm. Patterson at Salem in the fall of 1854, 7 and another 

 shot by Mr. H. Walker Hand at Dennisville, Cape May county, No- 

 vember llth, 1905. 8 Both specimens are preserved in the Philadel- 

 phia Academy. 



1 Audubon's Orn. Biog. 



2 Stone, Auk, 1900, p. 172. 



8 A. R. Justice, Atlantic Slope Nat., I., No. 2, p. 11, 1903. 



4 Stone, Birds of E. Pa. and N. J., p. 67. 



5 O. and O., 1887, p. 206. 



6 Babson, Birds of Princeton, p. 41. 



7 Cassin, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., VII., January, 1855, p. 265. 



8 Cassinia, 1905, p. 75. 



