672 EEPORT or STATE GEOLOGIST. 



** 



which he had wounded and captured. It became quite domesticated, 

 and was much attached to him. When he would return from a ride in 

 the practice of his profession, it would show its joy by standing .on one 

 leg, picking up chips with its bill and throwing them into the air, and 

 many other antics (Chansler). 



Mr. T. H. Ball, of Crown Point, speaking of a period of from fifty 

 to sixty years ago, says: "Sandhill Cranes were found here in abun- 

 dance. They came in early spring, and went south late in the fall. 

 They nested in the Kankakee marsh region. In the fall they would 

 come from the marshes into our cornfields, forty or fifty, perhaps a 

 hundred, at a time, and tear the corn almost as bad as a drove of hogs. 

 Then I shot them. They were fat, and considered, when properly 

 cooked, superior to wild geese." He describes their dances as given 

 upon a knoll on the prairies. Mr. Ball says a few remain, and still 

 (1897) make nests south of Eidge Island, and south of the Brown ditch 

 in Lake County. 



They begin their movements southward in September, and continue 

 them through November. Mr. Deane saw many at English Lake Sep- 

 tember 21, 1889. October 10, 1892, he says, they were quite abundant 

 at the same place. Mr. Chansler notes them in Knox County October 

 27, 1894. 



SUBORDER RALLI. RAILS, GALLINULES, COOTS, ETC. 

 XVI. FAMILY RALLID^E. RAILS, GALLINULES, ETC. 



a 1 . Forehead feathered. No frontal shield. 



6 1 . Bill slender, longer than head, curved downward. RAI.LUS. 37 



6 2 . Bill stout, not longer than head, straight. PORZANA. 38 

 a 2 . Forehead covered by a broad, bare, horny shield. 



c 1 . Sides of toes with broad, lobed membranes. FULICA. 41 



c 2 . Sides of toes with narrow membranes or none. 



d l . Nostrils small, oval ; middle toe (without claw), shorter than tarsus. 



IONORNIS. 39 



d 2 . Nostrils slit-like; middle toe (without claw), longer than tarsus. 



GALLINULA. 40 

 SUBFAMILY RALLIN.E. RAILS. 



37. GENUS RALLUS LINN.EUS. 



a 1 . Wing over 5.00. R. elegans Aad. 76 



a 2 . Wing under 5.00. B. virg-inianus Linn. 77 



*76. (208). Rallus elegans AUD. 



King Bail. 

 Synonyms, RED-BREASTED RAIL, MARSH HEN. 



Above, brownish-black, variegated with olive-brown, becoming rich 

 chestnut on the wing coverts; under parts, rich rufous or cinnamon- 



