The Oologist. 



Vol. XXV. No. 9. 



Albion, N. Y. September, 1908. Whole No. 254 



THE OOLOGIST, 



A Monthly Publication Devoted to 

 OOLOGY, ORNITHOLOGY AND TAXI- 

 DERMY. 

 FRANK H. LATTIN, Publisher, 

 ALBION, N. Y. 

 EBNEST H. SHOKT. Editor and Managex. 

 Correspondence and items of interest to the 

 student of Birds, their Nests and Eggs, solicited 

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SIDE-LIGHTS ON THE RALLID/E. 



Some of the following anecdotes 

 disclose the facts, that while the 

 rails are very retiring, and seclusive 

 in their habits, they are not so shy 

 and timid as a great many aquatic 



'birds, and generally speaking, I 

 should say they were rather unsuspi- 

 cious creatures. 



For many years I have resided 

 within a mile of their haunts. The 

 marshes and sloughs to which they 

 confine themselves while breeding, 

 are often traversed by thoroughfares 

 and car-lines. These encroachments 

 do not seem to effect the constant re- 

 turn, in equal numbers annually, of 

 these birds which might well be term- 

 ed the connecting link between land 

 and water fowl. 



The King Rail is appropriately 

 named for he outshines all others of 

 his tribe. During the halmy nights 

 of May and June, it is not an uncom- 

 mon occurrence to hear one of these- 

 birds about the door j^ard, a mile from 

 his actual abode. Frequently they 

 will stand under an electric light and 

 give vent to their clucking. I know 

 of one instance, wherein one of these 

 King Rails wandered into the parlor 

 of a private residence during the 

 early morning hours when the doors 

 were ajar, and house-cleaning was in 

 progress. Generally speaking, the 

 King is a droll bird, and some of his 

 antico during courtship are on a 

 par with those of the Flicker. 



The Virginia Rail though two-thirds 

 smaller than the King, is quite similar 

 in habits and disposition. He seems 

 very fond of warbling and amusing 

 himself by uttering a series of notes 

 alternating by a rising and falling 

 inflection of the voice. The song of 

 the Red-eyed' Vireo conveys an im- 

 pression not unlike that produced by 

 this monologist. 



The Sora is not so local in its range 



