1909.] THE CAYUGA LAKE BASIN, N. Y. 419 



XXIX. Order PALUDICOL^. The Cranes and Rails. 



47. Family Gruid^. The Cranes. 



161 (204). Grus americana (Linnaeus). Whooping crane. 



" Several years ago a specimen was killed on Cayuga Lake — 

 Frank A. Ward" (Eaton, 1901). 



48. Family Rallid^. The Rails. 



162 (208). Rallus elegans Audubon. King rail. 



Not an uncommon summer resident in the marshes at the north 

 end of the basin. There is but one record of this species at the 

 south end of the lake, an adult male shot November 29, 1901. 



163 (212). Rallus virginianus Linnaeus. Virginia rail. 

 Common summer resident in all the marshes throughout the 



basin. The average date of spring arrival is May i, the earliest, 

 April 24, 1904. They nest the last half of May and throughout 

 June. The earliest date for nest is May 18, 1905. The latest date 

 upon which nest and eggs have been found is July 9, 1906. They 

 are abundant throughout September and the first half of October. 

 All have usually departed by November i. 



164 (214). Porzana Carolina (Linnaeus). Sora. 



Common summer resident throughout the basin. The average 

 date of spring arrival is May i, the earliest, April 14, 1908. About 

 the middle of October this species becomes exceedingly abundant and 

 usually all have left by the last of the month. The nesting period 

 is the same as for the preceding species. 



165 (215). Coturnicops noveboracensis (Gmelin). Yellow rail. 

 Mr. F. S. Wright, of Auburn, reports that two or three have 



been taken at the north end of the lake. One of them was a male 

 shot at Meridian, N. Y., in 1897. 



166(219). Gallinula galeata (Lichtenstein). Florida gallinule. 



Fairly common summer resident in the marshes at the north end 

 of the lake where it arrives the last of April. Ralph and Bagg-" 



" Ralph, William L., and Bagg, Egbert, " Annotated List of the Birds of 

 Oneida County, N. Y., and Its Immediate Vicinity," Trans, of the Oneida 

 Historical Society, Vol. III., p. loi, 1886. 



