BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



H abitat. Salt marshes of the Atlantic coast of the United States, from New Jersey 

 southward ; resident from the Potomac southward, casually north to Massachusetts. 



The Clapper Rail or Mud-hen is the noisy game bird which is often 

 killed in such great numbers about the salt-water marshes in the neigh- 

 borhood of Atlantic City, New Jersey. In Pennsylvania this rail has 

 been found as a very rare, or, more probably, accidental visitor. The 

 late Judge Libhart records the capture of one in Lancaster county by 

 Mr. G. W. Hensel ; and Dr. Detwiller has also taken it in the state. A 

 bird of this species was shot near Chester city, Delaware county, Sep- 

 tember, 1880, by ex-Sheriff George E. Hoopes, of West Chester and 

 presented to me. 



Rallus virginianus LINN. 



Virginia Rail ; Little Red Rail. 



DESCRIPTION {Plate 78). 



Much smaller than either the Clapper or King Rails, but resembling them in form 

 and resembling also R. elegans in colors. 



Adult. Nine or ten inches long and about fourteen in extent. Specimen before 

 me has sides of head mostly grayish-ashy, little or no white about lower eye-lid, 

 otherwise same as King Rail previously described. Specimens are occasionally 

 taken in which the neck and breast are more or less black. 



Habitat. North America, from British provinces and south to Guatemala and 

 Cuba. 



Notwithstanding the fact that the plumage of the Virginia and King 

 Rails is similar, the species can readily be distinguished by the great 

 difference in size, the Virginia Bail being only about one-third as large 

 as the King Bail. This species arrives in Pennsylvania by the first of 

 May and remains with us until the middle of October specimens have 

 been killed during the first week in November. These birds, although 

 only occasionally observed, are, I am certain, much more plentiful about 

 our large swamps and marshy river borders than it is usually supposed. 

 Frequenting, as they do at all times, however, marshy districts, which are 

 thickly covered with various grasses, bushes, reeds, etc., it is rather ex- 

 ceptional to see them. Like all the rails, they are shy and timid. If ap- 

 proached they seldom fly, but run rapidly and quickly conceal themselves 

 among the thick tussocks or other suitably cover. They are seemingly 

 in no way impeded in making their retreat even across large-sized spaces 

 of water on which are floating a few blades of grass, leaves or twigs, 

 over which they run with the same celerity as when on the ground. The 

 nest, a frail structure consisting mainly of grass, is built commonly in a 

 tussock located generally in the most inaccessible portion of the swamp. 

 The eggs, it is said, vary in number from six to ten and are dirty white, 

 with numerous spots and different shades of brown. Nuttall says: 

 " The female is so much attached to her eggs, after sitting, as sometimes 

 to allow of being taken up by the hand rather than desert the premises, 



