﻿278 
  

  

  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  The 
  green 
  tops 
  of 
  the 
  grasses 
  are 
  gathered 
  together 
  and 
  sUghtl}- 
  interwoven 
  

   above 
  the 
  nest, 
  forming 
  a 
  loosely 
  constructed 
  arbor 
  to 
  shelter 
  the 
  eggs. 
  

   If 
  the 
  water 
  rises, 
  additions 
  are 
  made 
  from 
  time 
  to 
  time 
  until 
  the 
  structure 
  

   is 
  several 
  inches 
  in 
  hight. 
  The 
  old 
  bird 
  drags 
  the 
  wet 
  or 
  dead 
  grasses 
  from 
  

  

  the 
  marsh 
  on 
  to 
  the 
  nest 
  

   by 
  the 
  same 
  route 
  so 
  that 
  

   there 
  is 
  frequently 
  a 
  well 
  

   defined 
  approach 
  rising 
  

   from 
  the 
  marsh 
  to 
  the 
  

   summit 
  of 
  the 
  nest. 
  The 
  

   nest 
  is 
  broad 
  and 
  fiat, 
  

   probably 
  larger 
  in 
  propor- 
  

   tion 
  to 
  the 
  size 
  of 
  the 
  bird 
  

   than 
  that 
  of 
  any 
  other 
  of 
  

   our 
  common 
  species. 
  The 
  

   eggs 
  are 
  from 
  8 
  to 
  14 
  in 
  

   number, 
  larger 
  sets 
  which 
  

   are 
  sometimes 
  found 
  

   probably 
  being 
  the 
  la^dng 
  

   of 
  two 
  birds. 
  The 
  eggs 
  

   are 
  darker 
  in 
  color 
  than 
  

   the 
  Virginia 
  rail's, 
  of 
  a 
  

   strong 
  buff 
  y 
  drab 
  ground- 
  

   color 
  and 
  blunter 
  at 
  the 
  

   small 
  end, 
  but 
  spotted 
  

   much 
  like 
  those 
  of 
  other 
  

   Photo 
  by 
  c. 
  F. 
  Stone 
  Talls. 
  Thcy 
  average 
  1.22 
  

   X 
  .g 
  inches. 
  

  

  Like 
  other 
  rails 
  the 
  young 
  are 
  covered 
  with 
  a 
  jet-black 
  down 
  wdth 
  a 
  

   tuft 
  of 
  orange 
  bristles 
  on 
  the 
  throat 
  and 
  leave 
  the 
  nest 
  soon 
  after 
  hatching. 
  

   On 
  several 
  occasions, 
  I 
  have 
  come 
  upon 
  a 
  Sora's 
  nest 
  when 
  the 
  young 
  were 
  

   hatching 
  and 
  some 
  were 
  still 
  wet 
  from 
  the 
  shell, 
  but 
  even 
  these 
  would 
  follow 
  

   their 
  mother 
  from 
  the 
  nest 
  and 
  start 
  to 
  wade 
  or 
  swim 
  off 
  and 
  hide 
  amid 
  the 
  

   grass. 
  It 
  is 
  an 
  interesting 
  sight 
  when 
  a 
  Sora 
  like 
  a 
  diminutive 
  hen 
  is 
  siir- 
  

  

  Sera's 
  nest 
  and 
  eggs 
  

  

  