NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 103 



secretive habits are doubtless one of the causes of its apparent 

 scarcity. A nest containing ten eggs was found near Saybrook, Conn. 

 Ten fresh eggs were taken from a nest in Illinois, June 19, 1875, near 

 Calumet River. The nest was placed in a deep, cup-shaped depres- 

 sion ; in shape and situation resembled that of the Meadow Lark, but 

 the Rail's nest was much deeper in proportion to the diameter. It 

 was elaborately made of grass-stems and blades. The eggs were clear 

 white, thinly sprinkled with reddish-brown dots, more numerous about 

 the large end.* 



Dr. Coues says : " Eggs from New Jersey are altogether different 

 from those of the Sora, or Yellow Crake, being creamy-white, sprinkled 

 all over with fine dots of rich, bright reddish-brown, and with a 

 few spots of some little size at the great end ; most like the more 

 finely speckled examples of the egg of the large Ralli; dimensions, 

 1.05 X. 80." 



[217.] Crex crex (Linn.) [577.] 



Corn Crake. 



Hab. Europe and Northern Asia; casual visitor in Greenland, Bermudas and New Jersey. 



The Land Rail, Corn Crake, or Corn Creak, is an abundant species 

 over the entire continent of Europe. In England and Scotland it is 

 a familiar bird, where it breeds in abundance. Very common in the 

 Orkney and Shetland Islands. It frequents the long grass of wet 

 meadows, near rivers and marshes, and in fields of grain. Its pres- 

 ence is indicated by the creaking note from which it takes its name. 

 The nest is placed on the ground, generally in a field of grain, grass or 

 clover ; it is made of dry plants and grasses. In England this bird 

 nests about the first or middle part of June. The eggs are from seven 

 to ten in number ; these, when fresh, are of a pale reddish-white ; 

 when blown, the ground color is light buff, with a reddish cast ; they 

 are spotted and sprinkled with pale reddish-brown. 



218. lonornis martinica (Linn.) [578.] 



Purple Gallinnle. 



Hab. Nearly whole of tropical and warm temperate America. Apparently absent from the Pacific 

 coast. 



This beautiful Gallinnle inhabits the South Atlantic and Gulf 

 States, and strays occasionally northward as far as Maine, New York, 

 Ohio, Wisconsin and other Northern States. The bird is resident in 

 the South. From its bright purplish-blue colors it may quite readily 

 be distinguished from the Florida Gallinnle, even at a long distance. 

 In Florida it breeds in the latter part of May. 



Mr. Rachford writes that in Texas the Purple Gallinnle nests in 



<'E. W. Nelson: Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club. Vol. 1, p. 43. 



