232 RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS 



those of the next species, 1*68 x 1'20. Date, Mercer Co., 111., May 5; Raleigh, 

 N. C., May 31; se. Minn., June 6. 



The King Rail is the fresh-water representative of the Clapper Rail. 

 It is, however, a much less common bird, and less is known of its habits. 

 Like other Rails, it is a skulker, and never flies when it can escape 

 by running or hiding in the dense grass of its home. On three occasions 

 I have heard what I am quite sure was the King Rail's call, a loud, 

 startling bup, bup, bup, bup, bup, uttered with increasing rapidity 

 until the syllables were barely distinguishable, then ending somewhat 

 as it began. The whole performance occupied about five seconds. 



211. Rallus crepitans crepitans Gmel. CLAPPER RAIL. (Fig. 39, a.) 

 Ad. Upperparts very pale greenish olive, the feathers widely margined 

 with gray; wings and tail grayish brown; wing-coverts pale cinnamon 

 much washed with gray; throat white; neck and breast pale, between ochra- 

 ceous and cream-buff, more or less washed with grayish ; belly and sides gray 

 or brownish gray, barred with white. Downy young Glossy black. L., 

 14-50; W., 5'00; Tar., 2'00; B., 2'50. 



Remarks. The Clapper Rail may always be known from the King Rail 

 by its generally grayish instead of brownish or blackish upperparts, and its 

 much paler breast and flanks and paler wing-coverts. 



Range. Salt marshes of the Atlantic coast. Breeds from Conn, to N. 

 C.; winters mainly s. of N. J.; casual n. to Maine. 



Washington, A. V., one record. Long Island, common S. R., Apl.-Oct., 

 a few winter. Ossining, A. V. 



Nest, of grasses, near or on the ground, in grass-grown, salt-water marshes. 

 Eggs, 8-12, buffy white, spotted and speckled with rufous-brown, 1*72 x 1*20. 

 Date, Cpbb's Island, Va., May 19; Oyster Bay, N. Y., May 24. 



The Clapper Rail is an inhabitant of grassy, salt-water marshes, and, 

 in the southern parts of its range, of mangrove swamps. It is almost 

 impossible to flush these birds unless their haunts are invaded by an 

 unusually high tide, when a boat may be pushed through the meadows 

 and the birds forced to take wing. I have heard birds calling in the 

 tall grass within a few feet of me, and have made a wild rush in their 

 direction, only to be mocked a moment later by apparently the same 

 bird calling from a point almost within reach. They dodge about over 

 well-traveled pathways like children in a game of blindman's buff. 



While not strictly gregarious, they live in colonies, and the call of 

 one bird is sometimes taken up and repeated by others until the marsh 

 vibrates with their cries. 



21 la. R. c. saturatus Hensh. LOUISIANA CLAPPER RAIL. A local race 

 of the Clapper Rail found in the marshes of Louisiana. It is much darker 

 than crepitans, but not so dark as scottii. "W., 5*65; Tar., T97; B., 2*27" 

 (Ridgw.). 



Range. Coast of Louisiana. 



2 lib. R. c. scotti Senn. FLORIDA CLAPPER RAIL. Differs from 

 crepitans in being black, fuscous or olive-brown above, with olive-gray mar- 

 gins to the feathers; in haying the neck and breast cinnamon-rufous washed 

 with brownish, and in having the belly and flanks black instead of gray. In 

 fact, the general color of scottii suggests a King Rail, but the latter may 



