BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



71 



yellow, those of the Virginia Kail are dull reddish-brown. This species 

 and the preceding- may be said to be the only rails which are common 

 in Pennsylvania. The Carolina Bail arrives here about the first week in 

 May. During- the latter part of Augnst and early in September, it is 

 not uncommon to find these birds in parties numbering- from six to 

 twenty, sometimes many more,* in swamps and wet grassy meadows. 



The Sora has been found breeding- in Chester county, along the Bran- 

 dywine, and it occurs in different localities in Pennsylvania as a regular 

 or occasional summer resident. In Montgomery county, Mr. Thomas S. 

 Gillin, of Ambler, has noted it as an occasional breeder, and Mr. George 

 B. Sennett says it breeds occasionally in Erie county. Prof. August 

 Kock states that in Lycoming county " they breed in small colonies in 

 small open swamps, which are grown with a few small bushes." In Lan- 

 caster county, both Dr. Treichler and Mr. William N. Buller, mention 

 the Sora as a native. Dr. Isaiah R Everhart and Mr. George P. Friant, 

 of Scranton, have young birds, captured in Lackawanna county. Dr. 

 Van Fleet, Clinton county, and Mr. D. Frank Keller, Berks county, have 

 found it breeding. " Eggs 8-12, 1.23 x .89 brownish buff, rather sparsely 

 spotted with brown and purplish gray." Ridgiuay Manual N. A. Birds. 



The food materials which were found in the stomachs of sixteen of these 

 birds are given below : 



Porzana noveboracensis (GMEL.). 



Yellow Rail. 



DESCRIPTION. 



" Entire upper parts ochre-yellow, with longitudinal wide stripes of brownish- 

 black and transverse narrow stripes of white ; neck and breast reddish ochre-yellow ; 

 many feathers tipped with brown ; middle of abdomen white ; flanks and ventral 

 region with transverse bands of dark reddish-brown and narrow bands of white ; 

 under tail coverts rufous with small spots of white and black ; under wing-coverts 

 white. Length (from tip of bill to end of tail), about 6 inches ; extent about 13; 

 wing 3^ ; tail If ; bill \ inch." B. B. of N. A. 



* Mr. James Thompson, of Erie city, informs me that upwards of eighty of these rails have been taken 

 In a day about the ponds on the peninsula at Erie bay. In these ponds wild rice grows in abundance, and 

 rails as well as many other water birds, resort there to feed on the seeds of this plant. 



