510 BIEDS — RALIilDJE. 



Coloration exactly as in elegans of which it is a perfect miniature. Length, 8i-10J ; 

 ■wingahoQt4; tail about 1^; bill, IJ-lf ; tarsus, IJ-li; middle toe ; li-lf. 



Habitat, United States and British Provinces. Winters in the Southern States and 

 beyond. South to Guatemala. Cuba. 



Common summer resident, most abundant during the migrations. This 

 and the Carolina Rail are the common species. Of the two, the Virginia 

 Rail is the most retiring and least numerous. It is found in all ex- 

 tensive swamps and marshes of the State and breeds from Central Ohio 

 northward to the lakes. It is given as a migrant only, in the vicinity 

 of Cincinnati, by Mr. Langdon. 



Eggs 1.25 by .95, similar to those of the preceeding species. 



Genus POEZANA. Vieillot. 

 Bill shortei than the head, stent and straight. 



PoEZANA CAROLINA (L.) Cab. 



Carolina Hail ; feSora ; Ortolan, 



Ballus carolinus, Kirhand, Ohio Geolog. Snrv., 1836, 165, 185. 



Ptrzana Carolina, Wheaton, Field Notes, i, 1861, 153 ; Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1860, 369, 378 ; 



Keprint, 1861,11, 20; Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agrio. Kep. for 1874, 573; Reprint, 



1875, 13. — Langdon, Cat. Birds of Cin., 1877, 16 ; Revised List, Jonrn. Cin. Soc. 



Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 184 ; Reprint, 18 ; Summer Birds, ib., iii, 1880, 227.— Dory and 



Freeman, ib , iii, 1880, 104 ; Reprint, 5. 



Ballua caroUnu8, LlNN.a!US, Syst. Nat., i, 1766, 263. 

 Porzana Carolina, Cabanis, Jonrn., 1856, 428. 



Above, olive-brown, varied with black, withnnmerous sharp white streaks and specks ; 

 flanks, axillars and lining of wings, barred with white aid blackish ; belly whitish ; 

 crissum rufescent. Adult with the lace and central- line of the throat black, the rest of 

 the throat, line over eye, and especially the breast more or less Intensely slate-gray, the 

 sides of the breast usually with some obsolete whitish barring and speckling ; young 

 without the black, the throat whitish, the breast brown. Length, 8-9 ; wing, 4-4i ; tail, 

 about 2 ; bill, f-J ; tarsus, li ; middle toe and claw, 1 J. 



Habitat, entire temperate North America ; especially abundant along the Atlantic 

 coast during the migrations. Breeds from the Middle districts northward. Winters in 

 the Southern States and beyond. South to Venezuela. Various West Indian Islands. 

 Greenland. Accidental in Europe. 



Abundant spring and fall migrant in April, October and November, 

 and common summer resident, breeding in suitable locations throughout 

 the State. 



This is the most abundant species of the family with us, and, especially 

 on tide- water, is a highly esteemed game bird. In spring it is often found 

 in quite exposed localities, such as the borders of brooks and ponds. In 

 the fall they are much more numerous and frequent high weeds on the 



