RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. 



141 



by ita gcneriilly {rrnyisli infttoml of hrownlsli or blaokiHli upper parts, hy its 

 much piik-r brctist iirul tluiiks ami paler wiiiy-covorts. 



Jia/K/e. — Urcfda in suit-water iiiarslies of cawturn Nortli America from 

 Conneetieut to tlu; (iiilf of Mexico; winters in sniull numbers from near tho 

 norlliern limit of its ratij,'e southward. 



Wasiiint,'ton, A. V., one record. Long Island, common ^. K., Apl. to Oct., 

 a few winter. Siiijr Sing, A. V. 



Sent, of grass"s, on the ground, in grass-grown, salt-water marslios. f.'<j{/f<, 

 eight to twelve, liuify white, spotted and speckleil with rufous-lirown, 1'7"2 x \-'M. 



The Clapper liiiil is an inliabitant of grassy, salt-water marshes, and, 

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

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

 unusually higli 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. 'J'hey dodge about over 

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



While not strictly gregarious, they live in colonies, and tlie long, 

 rolling call of one bird is sometimes taken up and repeated by others 

 until there is a general outcry through the marsh. 



SI la. R* 1. saturatus I/ihk/i. Louisiana Ci.ArrEU Kail.— .\ local 

 race of tho Clapper Kail found in th<! marslics of Louisiana. Its characters 

 appear not to he well uiulcrstood. It is much darker than cnpUa/'iiy but not 

 so dark as scottii. " W., (->•(;-) ; Tar., 1-07 ; B., 2'27 " (Kidgw. ), 



Jiantje. — Coast of Louisiaiui. 



811b. B. 1. scottii iSenn.). Fi.ohida Clappeu Kail. — Differs from 

 crepitdnti in l)cing l)lack, fuscous, or olive-brown above, with olive-gray mar- 

 gins to the feathers; in having the neck and breast cinnamoi. -rufous washed 

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

 fact, the general color of srnftii suggestf- a King Kail, but the latter may always 

 1)0 known ])y its rufous wing-coverts and char cinnamon-rufous neck and 

 breast. W., 5-50 ; Tar., 1-90 ; B., 2-40. 



Range. — CJulf coast of Florida. 



812. Ballus virginianus Z;//' /. ViiKiixi.' Kail. vl</.—rppcr parts 

 fuscous or black, tho feathers bordered by pale grayish brown; wings and 

 tail ihirk grayish brown; wing-coverts rufous, lores whitish, cheeks gray, 

 throat white, rest of the under parts cinnamon-rufous; thinks and under tail- 

 coverts l)arrcd or spotted with blaek and white. pDivny }'iniinj.~(j\ijsHy 

 black. L., 0-r)0; W., 4-;]0; Tar., r;;o; R. 1 •.■.(). 



Jidtuje. — Breeds from northern Illinois, I'cnnsylvania, and loniT Islainl to 

 Manitoba and Labrador; winters from near the southern limit of its l)reeding 

 range southward. 



Washington, probably P. K. Long Island, common S. K., Apl. to <Jct. ; a 



41 ■ 



