536 EALLUS VIEGINIANUS, VIRGINIA EAIL. 



the common Spra is so abundant in the marshes bordering: on the Poto- 

 mac. On the Pacific side it is stated to be common in California as far 

 as San Francisco, and to reach Humboldt Bay, In the interior it has 

 only been traced to Kansas and Missouri. 



What little has been placed on record respecting its habits does not 

 indicate anything pecaliar. The eggs are precisely like those of R. 

 crejntans, of which I have the following account, in substance, in the 

 American l*raturalist, iii, 601: Sizes: 1.80 by 1.10; 1.70 by 1.20; 1.66 by 

 1.00; 1.60 by 1.16; 1.50 by 1.15; 1.50 by 1.05; average about 1.66 by 

 1.10. Ground-color, from dull white to creamy or pale buff. Markings, 

 either sparse or plentiful, evenly or very irregularly distributed, vary- 

 ing from mere dots to large splashes, on the same or different eggs, but 

 usually largest at or around the great end, where they are apt to be- 

 come confluent. The markings are reddish-brown of variable shade, 

 but never pure brown ; with these are always a number of shell spots 

 of lilac, lavender or pale-purplish. 



I am not aware that the Clapper Eail {R. longirostris) has yet been 

 observed anywhere on the Missouri. It is chiefly confined to salt 

 marshes, along the coasts, but has been noted also in the interior, as at 

 Great Salt Lake, and may not improbably be detected in some of the 

 alkaline portions of the Missouri region. The accompanying foot-note 

 gives a portion of the synonomy of the species.* 



EALLUS VIEGLNIAXUS, Linn. 



Tirginia Sail. 



Ballus virginianus, Les'X., Syst. Nat. i, 1766, 263 (based on Gates., 70, and Bmss., r, 

 175).— Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1688, 716.— Wrts., Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 109, pi. 62, f. 1.— 

 Bp., Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 210 ; Syn. 1828, 334 ; List, 183S, 5,J.— Ndtt., Man. ii, 

 1834, 205.— AcD., Orn. Biog. iii, 41; v, 1839, 573; pi. 205; Syn. 1839,216; B. 

 Am. V, 1842, 174, pi. 311.— GiE., B. L. I. 1844, 208.— WooDH., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 

 101 (Rio Lagnua).— Gu^DL., J. f. 0. iv, 1856, 427 (Cuba) ; Rep. Fis. i, 361.— 

 Newb., p. R. R. Rep. vi, 1857, 96 (California).— Heerm., P. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, 

 pt. vi, 62 (California).— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 748.— Coop. & Suck., N. H. Wash. 

 Ter. 1860, 247.— ScL. & Salv., Ibis, 1860, 277 (Guatemala).— Dr.E.ss., ihid. 1866, 40 

 (Texas).— ScL. & Saiv., Exot. Orn. i, 196 (diagnosis) ; P. Z. S. 1868, 445.— Schl., 

 M. P.-B. Balli, p. 11.— Allen, Mem. Best. Soc. i, 1868, 501 (Iowa).— Ho v, Smiths. 

 Rep. 1864, 438 (Missouri).- CouES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 98 (Arizona).— CouBS, 

 Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1868,297 (breeding north to Maine). — CouES, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 

 1868, 124 (South Carolina).— Codes & Prent., Smiths. Rep. 18iU, 416.— Pdtx., 

 Pr. Ess. Inst, i, 1856, 216 (Massachusett, in summer). — Verr., ibid, iii, 1862, 159 

 (Maine, breeds).) — ^Axlen, ibid, iv, 1864, 78 (Massachusetts, breeding). — Mc- 



* Ballus longirostris, BoDD., Tabl. Planch. Enlum. 1784, pi. 489. — Bukm., Syst. Ueb. iii, 

 361 (Bahia).— Newt., Ibis, 1859, 260 (Santa Cruz).— GossE, B. Jam. 1847, 364.— 

 Leot., Ois. Trinidad, 491.— Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad. 18G0, 378 (St. Thomas).— 

 ScL. & Salv., P. Z. S. 1868, 444 (critical).— CouES, Key. 1872, 273, fig. 178. 



Aramus (Pardirahts) longiroslris, Gray, Hand-list, iii, 1871, 59, No. 10418. 



Ballus crepitans, Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 713. — Wils., Am. Cm. vii, 1813, 112 (not the 

 plate).— Bp., Obs. Wils. 1825 ; Syn. 1828, 334 ; List, 1838, 53.— Nutt., Man. ii, 

 1834, 201.— AuD., Om. Biog. iii, 1835, 331, pi. 214 ; Syu. 1839, 215 ; B. Am. v, 

 1842, 165, pi. 310.— GiR., B. L. L 1844, 206.— GuNDL., J. f. O. 1856, 427 (Cuba); 

 Rep. Fis. Nat. i, 491.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 747.— Cab., Schomb. Guiana, iii. 76.- 

 SCL., P. Z. S. 1861, 81 (Jamaica).— Bry., Pr. Bost. Soc. vii, 1859 (Bahamas).— 

 CouES, Pr. Ess. Inst, v, lji68, 296 (Massachusetts).- Putk., Pr. Ess. Inst, i, ia56, 

 229.— Allen, Pr.Ess. Inst, iv, 1864, 87.— Cabot, Pr. Bost. Soc. iii, 326.— Lawr, 

 Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii, 1866, 295.— McIlwr., Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1866, 93 (Canada 

 West).— TuKXB., B. E. Pa. 1869, 33.— CouES, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868, 124.— 

 CouES, Am. Nat. iii, 1870, 600 (biography).— Ma yu.. Guide, 1870, 145 (Massa- 

 chusetts).— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 357 (Florida) ; iii, 1872 (Salt Lake, Utah). 

 Hab. — Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Brazil. Canada West 'Mcllwraiih), 



Great Salt Lake {Allen). 



