EALLID^ — BALLING : BA ILS. 



673 



678 

 67S 



661 



European Spotted Cbake. ^ ? , 



and Missouri at least. Winters in the South. Inhabits preferably swamps and inarshes 

 above tide-water. Nesting the same as crepitans; eggs not distinguishable. 



Vn, B. virginla'nus. VIRGINIA Eail. Coloration exactly as in elegans, of which it is a perfect 

 miniature. Length 8.50-10.50; extent about 14.00; wing 4.00, always under 4.50; tail 

 1.50; bill 1.35-1.65; tarsus 1.35-1.50; middle toe and claw 1.50-1.75. Temperate N. Am., 

 chiefly eastern U. S., migratory, abundant, both in fresh and salt marshes. Breeds commonlj 

 in New England ; winters in the S. States and beyond. Although a regular migrant along- 

 the Atlantic coast, it never occurs in such immense numbers as the Carolina Rail. Eggs like 

 those of the foregoing in color, but much smaller, about 1.25 X 0.95. They agree in size nearly 

 with those of Porzana ca/rolma, but the latter are greenish or drab, not buify. 



272. POBZA'NA. (Ital. porzana, Venetian name of P. maruetta.) Crakes. Bill shorter or 

 not longer than head, stout, high and compressed at base, tapering, obtuse ; nasal fossse ample. 

 Nostrils linear-oblong, near middle of bill. Otherwise generally as in Ballus ; hind toe longer. 

 Tarsus moderately shorter than middle toe and claw. Plumage of upper parts spotty as weU 

 as streaky. Small. Sexes alike. The 3 N."Am. species are very diifereht (subgenerically), 

 but ca/rolina closely resembles maruetta of Europe. 



Avulysis of Species. 

 Small : length 8.00 or more. Face of adult blackish, the breast slate-gray. 



Bill orange, with red base. Breast spotted. (European.) mwmetta 



Bill not orange, without red base. Breast not spotted carolitia 



Smaller; length about 6.00; wing over 3.00; yellowish-brown, barred with white . novehoracensis 

 Smallest: length about 5.50; wing scarcely 3.00; blackish, speckled with white and chestnut 



jamcCicensis 



678. P. maruet'ta. (Fr. ma/rouette, name of this species.) 

 adult : Above, dark red- 

 dish-brown shaded with 

 olive ; hind neck fine- 

 ly dotted, other upper 

 parts spotted and short- 

 ly striped with white, 

 and marked with black- 

 ish. Below, slate-gray, 

 fading to whitish on 

 belly, the breast spot- 

 ted with white, the 

 flanks barred with 

 white, the crissum buff. 

 Top and front of head, 

 and upper throat black- 

 ish, the crown streaked 

 with this color and dark 

 brown. Quills and tail 

 dark olive-brown. Iris 

 reddish - brown ; biU 



orange, red at base ; ^^^ ^^^ _ ^^^^.^^ ^^^_ ^^^^^ ^^^.^^ 



legs yeUowish-green, 



livid on the joints. Length about 8.50; wing 4.75; tail 2.00; bill 0.85 : tarsus 1.45; middle 

 toe and claw 1.75. Young lack the black face; chin whitish. Europe. Only N. Am. as 

 occurring in Greenland. 



679. P. caroli'na. (Fig. 466.) Carolina Crake. Common Eail. Sora. " Ortolan." Above, 

 olive-brown, varied with black, with numerous sharp white streaks and specks ; flanks, axillars 



