Birds of Indiana. 673 



brown, usually paler on tlie middle of the belly, and whitening on the 

 throat; flanks and axillars, blackish, white-barred. 



Length, 17.00-19.00; wings, 5.90-6.80 (6.43); bill, 3.12-3:50 (3.35); 

 least depth of bill, .37-.35 (.30); depth at base, .50-.55 (.53); tarsus, 

 3.10-2.40 (2.38). 



Eanse. — Fresh-water marshes of the eastern United States, north 

 to the middle States, southern Michigan, northern Illinois, Wisconsin 

 and Kansas; casually to Massachusetts, Maine, and Ontario. Breeds 

 throughout its range. Winters from Virginia southward. 



Nest, of reeds and grass, in a marsh. Eggs, 6-15; buff or cream, 

 speckled and blotched with reddish-brown. 



Migrant; summer resident locally in the Wabash Valley and north- 

 ward; rare some places, but common among the lakes and marshes in 

 the northern part of the State, where they breed in some numbers. 

 In the southern half of the State they are rare. 



They arrive in the spring late in April and early in May, and those 

 that do not remain to breed pass northward without much delay. 



My earliest date is from Brookville, where one was taken on April 

 20, 1881. Sometimes in spring they are found in some numbers, as 

 though traveling in small flocks. They go south from late August to 

 the middle of October. They begin the duties of home building 

 promptly upon arrival. Nests have been found with fresh eggs in 

 June. Mr. Deane found a nest containing ten eggs quite fresh June 

 3, 1888. It was built on a small tussock at the base of a small bush 

 in an overflowed meadow. 



Mr. H. K. Coale says, the parents have been noted with downy, black 

 young following, June 8 and 16, 1878; June 1, 1884. Mr. Eidgway 

 tells me it breeds in Knox and Gibson counties. It evidently bred in 

 Putnam County in 1894. Mr. Jesse Earlle found it at "Mill Pond," 

 near Greencastle July 24, 25, 26, and 27, 1894. A young King Eail, 

 not grown and not in full plumage, was brought to Mr. Alexander 

 Black for identification. Mr. Deane says of a nest found by Mr. Stein- 

 man May 11, 1890: "It was built in an overflowed meadow, and con- 

 sisted of broken, dried cane thrown up. The nest proper was very 

 small, and contained twelve eggs piled upon top of each other." It is 

 reported as breeding in the following counties: Lake (Aiken); Laporte 

 (Barber), Dekalb (Feagler), and Mr. J. E. Beasley thinks it may breed 

 in Boone County. This is the largest Eail in this State. 



43— Geol. 



