272 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Bayport, L. I.; late November, about 1894, a specimen taken by Foster 

 Parker on the Caytiga marshes; December 3, 1897, James Savage took 

 one at South Buffalo; Dr H. D. Reed reports a specimen taken at Ithaca, 

 November 27th, 1901. These records, when considered with the New 

 England records of December 14, January 20, and February, seem to indicate 

 that the species may almost be regarded as a permanent resident at the 

 northern limit of its range. It is a fairly common summer resident on the 

 Cayuga marshes according to Mr Foster Parker who is well acquainted with 

 it, but on account of its extreme shyness it is rarely seen. Mr Dutcher 

 records a summer specimen from Shinnecock bay, L. I., but the exact date 

 is unknown. Mr Reinecke found a nest and 10 eggs of this species at 

 Point Abino, Ontario, near Buffalo, on May 30, 1894. He also skinned 

 and dissected a specimen containing a fully developed egg, which was shot 

 by George E. Harris in South Buffalo, May 23d, 1891. 



So far as I know no one has seen the King rail in the act of uttering its 

 note. Mr Brewster describes it as deep and guttural, sometimes harsh 

 and vibrant, "a grunting umph, umph, umph, umph, the notes being on the 

 same key and separated by rather wide but approximately regular intervals." 

 Chapman describes its supposed call as "a loud startling bup, hup, hup, 

 bup, hup, uttered with increasing rapidity until the syllables were barely 

 distinguishable and ending somewhat as it began, the whole performance 

 occupying about five seconds." 



Rallus crepitans Gmelin 

 Clapper Rail 



Plate 35 



Rallus crepitans Gmelin. Syst. Nat. 1788. Ed. i. 2:713 



DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 259, fig. 222 

 A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 211 



cr^'pitans, Lat., clattering 



Description. Upper parts ashy gray, shading to olive-brown in the 

 center of the feathers; neck and breast varying from creamy buff to pale 



