BIRDS FOUND IN BAYOUS AND MARSHES 99 



all working themselves up into a fever of excitement 

 equalled only by an Indian war dance ; and, like the 

 same, it stops only when the last one is exhausted." 1 



The alarm call of this species is a long clear note like 

 a bugle blast ; it may be heard nearly a mile away. It 

 is repeated over and over, as the birds fly in flocks, like 

 the honk of wild geese. 



210. CALIFORNIA CLAPPER RAIL. — Rallus obsoletus. 

 Family : The Rails, Gallinules, and Coots. 



Length: 17.50. 



Adults: Upper parts greenish gray, indistinctly but broadly streaked 

 with blackish brown ; under parts red-brown, washed with gray on 

 neck and sides. 



Dovmy Young: Uniform black. 



Geographical Distribution : Salt-water marshes of the Pacific coast from 

 Lower California to Oregon. 



Breeding Range : In sloughs and salt-water marshes, throughout Cali- 

 fornia and Oregon. 



Breeding Season : April, May, and June. 



Nest: A loose mat of dry grass ; placed among rushes in marsh. 



Eggs : 8 ; buff, marked with cinnamon and lilac. Size 1.71 X 1.24. 



This species is abundant on the salt-water marshes in 

 the vicinity of San Francisco and Oakland, and partic- 

 ularly in the south end of the bay near Alviso. They are 

 either tame or exceedingly stupid birds — I believe the 

 latter, for they may be captured alive during the early 

 spring and late fall, as they trust to protective coloring 

 and do not try to escape until too late. During the 

 breeding season they are somewhat more shy, but even 

 then it is nearly impossible to flush them because they 



1 Goss. 



