RALLID.E — THE KAILS — PORZANA. 



375 



)1. Th.' 



the livst 

 t usually 

 ich lali'v. 

 ndant on 



uviug tlic 

 only nil I 

 lUulit'i's ill 

 , and tlial 

 >-n grasses 

 casionally 

 <, and tliis 



Nortlit'vn 

 ;hat of its 

 il nnuslics. 

 leovPiH'd lit 

 I ich avf iu 

 vpo rays i>t' 

 les built I 111 



soft dense 

 ; over t'iiiht 

 itli a slight 



,nd some of 

 lout doulit 

 ing. all of 

 liove that 

 it is very 

 parallel to 

 n-eeding of 

 and eggs 



notice of a 



^socks, and 

 dlection of 

 removal as 

 eamy-whito 

 e markings 

 The i'oni> 

 and diftVv- 

 annev as to 

 res 1.38 hy 

 ilr. Goss in 

 ise. These 



Porzana noveboracensis. 



THE LITTLE YELLOW BAIL. 



Fitlicn noveboracensis, Umkl. S, N. I. ii. 178!!, 7ul. 



Urli/joinclra nuvebunicciinin, Siki'iikns, Sliaw's (Ifii. Zuol. XII. 1S'21, 22'J. — AUD. Syiiop. 1839, "JIS ; 



15. Am. V. 1S42, 15-.', \<l 307. 

 J!iillu.i niivcbomeciisis, Honai'. .Sjicir. t'diiii). 1S-J7, -IVl ; Am. Oin. IV, 183'J, 13t), jil. '27, lig. 2. — 



NUTT. Mau. II. 1834, 215. — S\v. & Uku. V. I!. A. II. 1831, 4U2. — Aii>. Oiii. IJiu;,'. IV. 1838, 



251, pi. 329. 

 Punana 7iovebori(irusln, C.v.ss. in liainl's ii. N. Am. 18')8, 750. — liAiiin, <'iit. N. .\m. U. 185!), no. 



557. — < ones, Kry, 1872, 274 ; < heik List, 187;!, no. 40'J ; 2d cd. 1SS2, no. (JSO ; Birds N. W. 



1874, 53!t. — liiniiw. Xoni. N. Am. Ii. I8bl, no. 575. 

 I'tnlu JIuilsuniat, Lath. Ind. Orn. II. 17!»U, C55. 



Jldllus I'lijicullis, VlKII.l,. Noiiv. Diet. X.WIII. ISl'J, .550; (!id. Ois. 1834, 108, pi. 260. 

 " Pdrzitiia jamaiceim'ii (')" (fiioi), 1>iim;\v. Oiii. 4atli I'ur. Kxp. 1877, til3 (XeViida and Utah).' 



IIau. Eusterii Xortli America, north to Hudson's Hay, and Nova Scotia, west to Utah and 

 XuvaiUi. No e.\traliinital record except Ciilia and the Bermudas. 



Si>. Chak. Adult : Vullowisli oduaceiiiis, very glos.sy ul)ove, where broadly stri])ed with black, 

 tliu lilack intursectud by narrow bars of wjiiti' : belly whitish ; Hanks dusky, narrowly barred with 



wiiite , crissum light cimiamon ; axillars, lining of wing, and exposed portion of secondaries, white. 

 '• I'.iU greenish black, with the base dull yellowisli oiange ; iris hazel ; feet and claws light flesh- 

 cnjoi" (Aluuhon). Total length, about ().(M) inches ; wing, 3.00-3.50 ; culmen, .50-.55 ; tarsus, 

 .!)U-l,00 ; middle toe, .90. 



Tlure is a considerable range of indiviilual vaiiation, both in size and markings, even among 

 spciiniens from tlie sane' locality. 



The specific habits and distribution of this bird are imperfectly known. It has 

 bei'U found in various localities along the Atlantic coast as far to the eastward as 

 New IJrnnswick, it is known to breed iu Xorthern Illinois, wliere its nests and eggs 

 luive been taken, and it also occurs (Ui the I'acitic coast, probably in at least e(pial 

 abundance. As it is also found in Southwestern l'e.\as. we naturally infer that it 

 has a very general distribution over the entire Tnited States, from the Gulf shore to 

 Canada, and probably farther north, and from the eastern to the western coasts. 

 Tliat it is anywhere abuiulant cannot bi' jiositively stated, although it might be so, 

 siiuc its small size and skulking habits might prevent its being seen, even when 

 lavseiit in considerable numbers. 



Mr. Dresser M'as informed by Dr. Heennann that this bird is not uncommon at 

 iliteheU's Lake, near Sail Antonio. As when the forunn' visited that locality the 



' Till! small Hail ivfcnvd, with j^rcat licsitatioii, by Mr. Kidgway to P. Jtvnaiceiisis, in his "Ornithol- 

 ogy of tlie Fortieth Parallel," \i. 613, was undoubtedly this sju'cies, which is the only quo showing white 

 iildiiL,' the hinder margin of the wins — a peculiarity noted in the birds observed. The apparently 

 "blickish color" was due to imperfect opportunity of observation. 



t 



