87 
The Rails are skulkers and expert hiders in the grass. They thread 
the narrow runways between the clumps with mouse-like dexterity and 
speed. They rely on this ability to hide more than on flight to escape 
danger and will often allow themselves to be caught in the hand rather 
than take wing. A Rail will flush once in a seeming panic, but safely down 
again it can rarely be forced to wing a second time and in a small isolated 
clump of cover will seldom be detected except by a dog’s keen nose. Rails 
can and do swim, but only occasionally and only for a short distance, as 
when passing from one grass clump to another they find the water too deep 
for wading. 
Rails are very noisy, especially at night. Even in the day-time a 
ydden and unexpected noise will bring forth a chorus of their loud harsh 
cracklings from the marsh, though not a bird may be seen. 
Our Canadian Rails can be divided into two divisions, a long-billed 
fype and a short-billed type (Figures 23 and 25, p.22). The first includes 
the King and Virginia, the two species having a similar coloration; the 
second includes the Sora and the Yellow Rails,having only a general resem- 
blanee in colour but similar stubby bills. 
208. King Rail. fRallus elegans. L, 15. Long-billed; cheeks, neck, and breast cinna- 
mon-rufous; back brownish-black, each feather broadly margined with an ochraceous 
shade of the breast colour, flanks barred with black and white. Juvenile similar, but colours 
veiled with black. 
- Distinctions. In Canada car only be mistaken for the similarly coloured Virginia 
Rail, but King Rail is much larger. 
Field Marks. Loose rail-like flight as it gets up from the grass, size, general coloration, 
and long red-brown bill. 
Nesting. In wet marshes, in nest of grass, etc. 
Distribution. Rather southern distribution; comes regularly within our borders 
along the lower Great Lakes; breeds wherever found in Canada. 
The King Rail can be taken as the type of the Long-billed Rails 
(Figure 23, p. 22). This type has a longer neck and a more graceful habit 
and build than the Short-billed type. This series is one of several among 
American birds where distinct species differ from each other in little else 
than size. Included with our King and Virginia Rails in this series is the 
extralimital Clapper Rail of the more southern sea-board salt marshes, 
never occurring in Canada. 
212. Virginia Rail. FR.—LE RALE DE VIRGINIE. Rallus virginianus. L, 9-50. 
Smaller than the King Rail but otherwise similar to it. 
Distinctions. Easily distinguished from the King Rail by its smaller size and from 
the Sora by its long reddish bill and general coloration. Young birds are overwashed 
with a considerable amount of black and have often been misidentified as Black Rails. 
The Black Rail is even smaller than the Yellow Rail (5-0) and has a short bill; no Canadian 
record of the Black Rail rests upon perfectly satisfactory evidence. It may, however, 
be looked for in the Great Lake region, especially in the neighbourhood of the St. Clair 
flats, piere there is strong evidence of its occurrence, though a specimen has not yet been 
secured. 
Field Marks. Size, coloration, long, reddish bill (Figure 23, p. 22), and typical loose 
rail flight as it rises from the marsh. 
Nesting. In wet marsh, in nest of grass. 
Distribution. Southern Canada across the continent and north to the present limits 
of cultivation. Breeds wherever found in Canada. 
This is a far more common Rail than the King and to be expected in 
almost any marsh or very wet meadow within its range. Its habits do not 
differ essentially from those of the other Rails. 
