112 BIRDS OF NORTH CAROLINA 



latest October 30. In the spring his earliest record is April 8, and the latest May 

 13. Cairns in 1894 found them at Weaverville, Buncombe County, September 1 

 to 6, and April 30 to May 6. Bishop has taken them at Pea Island, Dare County, 

 May 13, 1901, and May 10, 1902. H. H. Brimley saw one on Lake Ellis May 12, 

 1906, and another was killed by him on May 13, 1911. One was brought to Pear- 

 son at Greensboro, August 19, 1909, which had evidently been killed the night before 

 by striking a telephone wire. 



Genus Coturnicops (Bonap.) 

 92. Coturnicops noveboracensis (Gmel). YELLOW RAIL. 



Description: Ads. -Upperparts black, the feathers bordered with ochraceous-buff and with 

 from one to three narrow white bars; breast ochraceous-buff; middle of the belly white; sides 

 and lower belly black or brownish, barred with white. L., 7.00; W., 3.40; Tar., .95; B., .52. 

 (Chap., Birds of E. N. A.) 



Range. Eastern North America, breeding from Maine northward; winters in the Gulf 

 States. 



Range in North Carolina. -Whole State during the migrations; rare; winters in the east. 



FIG. 74. YELLOW RAIL. 



The Yellow Rail is without doubt a rare bird in this State. Coues saw one in 

 Carteret County, April 12, 1870; H. H. Brimley found two exhibited in the flesh 

 at the New Bern Fair in February, 1892; and Cairns took a male at Weaverville, 

 Buncombe County, October 19, 1894. 



One was sent to Pearson by M. W. Haynes of Tarboro, who stated that he picked 

 it up at that place on the morning of September 23, 1908. It had been killed during 

 the previous night by flying against a telephone wire. Bishop secured two on Pea 

 Island, Dare County, in 1908; one, an adult male, was killed December 20, the 

 other, also an adult male, was taken about December 26. A living specimen was 

 brought to Pearson at Greensboro October 4, 1910, by a colored man, who said he 

 had just caught it in a barn near town. 



The Pea Island and New Bern records would seem to show that the species may 

 winter in the coastal region, while the others indicate it to be only a migrant in 

 the rest of the State. Any conclusions as to its actual rarity or abundance can only 

 be surmises, as the bird is of extremely unobtrusive and skulking habits. It is an 

 inhabitant of wet meadows and is said to be exceedingly difficult to flush. 



Genus Creciscus (Cab.) 



This genus contains two species in North America. One is found on the Pacific 

 coast of the United States, the other in the East. 



