2 8o NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Virginia rail, but decidedly less loud and vibrant. In addition to all these 

 notes both sexes have a variety of short, sharp cries which they give when 

 startled by any sudden noise. 



Cotumicops noveboracensis (Gmelin) 

 Yellow Rail 



Plate 26 



Fulica noveboracensis Gmelin. Syst. Nat. 1788. Ed. i. 2:701 

 Ortygomctra noveboracensis DeKay. Zool.N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 263, fig. 225 

 Porzana noveboracensis A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 215 



cotur'nicops, Lat. coturnix, quail; Gr. oi/', face, appearance; noveboracSn' sis , 



of New York 



Description. Upper parts striped with brownish yellow and blackish, 

 and narrowly barred with white; head, neck and breast pale brownish 

 yellow, or ocherous, shading to whitish on belly; flanks blackish, barred 

 with white; "under tail coverts cinnamon"; secondaries white. 



Length 6-7.5 inches; wing 3-3.6; tail 1.5 ; bill 50-60; tarsus .8-1 ; middle 

 toe and claw 1-1.12. 



Field marks. The small size and general yellowish hue of this bird 

 distinguish it from the other rails. Some young soras are nearly yellowish 

 brown in color of the foreparts, but the white markings of the back are 

 lengthwise instead of transverse as in the Yellow rail. When the bird is 

 flushed there is no possible chance of mistaking it as this species shows a 

 conspicuous white patch in the wings formed by the white secondaries. 



Distribution. The Yellow rail inhabits eastern North America, north 

 to Nova Scotia, Hudson bay and Slave lake, wintering southward to Cuba. 

 In this State it is chiefly a transient visitant, but its nest will probably be 

 found within our borders. The nearest approach to a breeding record 

 that I can find is a specimen in the State Museum, no. 283, labeled," Brad- 

 dock's bay, June, 1880." There is a winter record for Long Island in Mr 

 Butcher's collection, 1913 — Sayville, January 17, 1894. From the records 

 of 33 specimens taken in the State, 5 are without definite dates. Of the 

 remaining 28, 15 were taken in October, 6 in September and 3 in April, 

 with I record each for August, November, January and June. 11 of these 

 specimens were taken on Long Island, 6 in the marshes bordering on Lake 



