THE HABITS OF THE KING RAIL. 



{Rallus elegans.) 



The family Rallidae includes nearly 

 two hundred species and sub-species of 

 birds. They are distributed over the 

 greater portion of each continent, the 

 coots, gallinules and rails being the 

 American representatives of this inter- 

 esting family. 



The rails, whose feet and legs are re- 

 markably developed for the purpose, trav- 

 erse the almost impenetrable swamps and 

 quagmires with unequaled agility, taking 

 wing only as a last resort. Rails are less 

 aquatic than coots or galinules, and 

 though not gregarious are seldom found 

 breeding in isolated pairs. Frequently 

 several varieties of rails occupy their re- 

 spective nests within a few yards of each 

 other, and again all three species will 

 deposit their eggs in a single nest, which 

 is usually that of a King Rail, the largest 

 of the genera. 



The Marsh-hen, King, or Red-breasted 

 Rail, is brown in color of varying shades, 

 and the feathers are streaked or mottled 

 with black. The sexes are indistinguish- 

 able and the young are covered with 

 down which is jet black. The body is 

 very slim and compact, enabling its own- 

 er to pass through tangled vegetation 

 without hindrance. 



The restricted breeding range of the 

 King Rail includes the eastern portion of 

 the United States, westward to the states 

 bounded on the east by the Mississippi 

 River. In Wisconsin, southern Canada 

 and Maine this Rail is known only as a 

 casual visitor. The states bordering on 

 the Great Lakes — Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, 

 Michigan and New York — probably con- 

 tain the most popular resorts of the King 

 Rail, where it nests abundantly in suit- 

 able localities. South of the Ohio River 

 the King Rail occurs in limited num- 

 bers and is undoubtedly a permanent resi- 

 dent wherever found. On the sea-coast 



the King Rail is replaced by a salt water 

 variety known as the clapper rail. The 

 two species are closely allied, but the lat- 

 ter mav be identified by its smaller size 

 and paler colors. 



I have devoted considerable time to 

 the study of the King Rail — both durine 

 its migrations and in it? domestic life — 

 and I consider it one of the most bold, 

 shrewd and fearless of water fowls. No 

 one should be surprised at the antics of 

 a rail. A neighbor discovered one in her 

 front room after leaving the door ajar 

 one morning. King Rails have been ob- 

 served about the barnyard in company 

 with the poultry. On several moonlight 

 nights, between the hours of eight and 

 ten, during the months of May and June, 

 I have heard and seen this droll looking 

 bird strolling about the streets of Chi- 

 cago, perhaps one-half mile distant from 

 the nearest marsh. This may be called 

 one of its nocturnal escapades, and as it 

 wanders from yard to yard its curiosity 

 increases. It ventures upon the side- 

 walk and poses under the light of a 

 street lamp and suddenly becomes hilari- 

 ous, "clucking," "cackling" and "creek- 

 ing," its hoarse voice breaking the silence 

 of the calm spring atmosphere, and then 

 it vanishes as if by magic. 



Nest building begins in April and often 

 requires a week for completion. Fresh 

 eggs may be found from the first day of 

 April to July, the /time varying accord- 

 ing to locality and season. On or about 

 the eighteenth of May is the best period 

 to study the nesting habits of this rail 

 in northern Illinois and Indiana. Usu- 

 ally a complete set of eggs, ranging from 

 eight to fourteen in number, has been 

 laid and the parents have begun the du- 

 ties of incubation which cover a period 

 of three w T eeks. 



Clumps of dead rushes, fallen reeds or 

 tussocks of marsh grass are favorite nest- 



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