246 ZOOLOGY. 



rufous, tinged with aslij' ; every featlier witli transverse and confluent banda of browiiisli blaclc, most numerous and 

 predominating on the back and scapulars ; secondary quills, under wing coverts, and axillaries, bright rufous ; primaries 

 with their outer webs brownish black and their inner webs rufous, with transverse bands of black. Under parts pale 

 rufous, with longitudinal lines of black on the neck and sides ; tail rufous, tinged with ashy, transversely barred with 

 Ijrownish black. Bill brownish black ; base of under mandible reddish yellow ; legs bluish brown. Specimens vary to 

 some extent in the shade of the rufous color of the plumage, and very much in the length of the l.iill. The rufous color is 

 probably more distinct in the young. Total length about 25 inches ; wing, 10 to 11; tail, 4; bill, 5 to 8; tarsu.^;, 2^ inches. 

 Hah. — The entire temperate regions of North America. 



Curlews, apparently of this species, are quite common throughout Minnesota, where, while 

 I was attached to the northern Pacific railroad exploration, I observed them in June and July, 

 1853, very abundant for several liundred miles west of the Mississippi, breeding and rearing 

 their young on the va.st prairies of that region. 



In Oregon, near Fort Dalles, and in Washington Territory, near the Simcoe and Yakima 

 valle3's, the}' are abundant during the breeding season. 



In the vicinity of Puget Sound the long-billed curlew is occasionally seen. During a long- 

 residence at Fort Steilacoom I obtained but a single pair, shot on Muckleshoot prairie August 

 1, 1856. Measurements, in detail, of these were carefully taken, and were as follows: ? male, 

 length, 21.50 inches; extent, 40; wing, 12; bill, 5; tibia, 4.50; tarsus, 3.50. ? Female, 

 length, 20; extent, 36.25; wing, 10.50; bill, 4.50; tibia, 4; tarsus, 3.00. 



Both birds had the legs and feet bluish gray; bill dark at the terminal end, reddish dusky 

 at base; iris dark. During the breeding season this species is readily "tolled" towards the 

 gunner by whistling in imitation of its cry. In this they resemble the avosets and yellow- 

 legged tattler. — S. 



I observed three times only, during eighteen months' residence near the coast, a curlew of 

 large size, which I supposed to be the long-billed species common near San Francisco. They 

 seemed to be stragglers, and were very shy, alighting only a few minutes at Shoalwater bay, 

 W. T., and then troino; off southward. — C. 



& 



Family R A L L ID A E .— T h e Rails. 



RALLUS ELEGANS, And. 



King Rail; marsb Hen. 



Rallus elegans, Ann. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1S35, 27 ; pi. 203.— Ib. Syu. 21.— Ib. Birds Am. V, 1842, ICO ; pi. 309.— 



GcNDLAcn, Cab. Jour. 1856, 427.— Baird & Cassin, Gen. Rep. Birds, 746. 

 Eallus crepitans, Wils. Am. Orn. VII, 1813 ; pi. ixii, f. 2. (Not the description.) 



g,,^ Ch xiie largest species of the United States. Upper parts olive brown, with longitudinal stripes of brownish Idack, 



most numerous on the back ; line from the base of the bill over the eye dull orange yellow ; space before and behind the eye 

 brownish cinereous. Throat and lower eyelid white ; neck before and breast bright rufous chestnut ; sides and abdomen, and 

 under tail coverts with transverse bands of brownish black and white, the dark bands being the wider ; tibiae dull yellowish 

 white, with spots and transverse bars of ashy brown. Upper wing coverts reddish chestnut ; under wing coverts black, with 

 transverse lines of white. Sexes alike. Total length (from tip of bill to end of tail) about 17 inches ; wing, 6i ; tiiil, 3. 



Jlab. Middle and southern States on the Atlantic ocean ; California. — (Dr. Suckley.) 



The king rail is very common in the San Francisco market ; and I am informed by George 

 Gibbs, esq., that they are abundant on Humboldt bay, further to the north. I have not seen 

 any of this species in the Puget Sound district, but suppose that in favorable localities they 

 are occasionally to be found. 



A fine specimen was presented to me in San Francisco by F. Gruber, an excellent practical 

 taxidermist of that city. — S. 



