FAM. XLII. RAILS, GALLINULES, ETC. 



257 



Like all the rails, it 



is a difficult bird to 



observe because of 



its ability as a 



skulker. 



Length, 8-lOJ; wing, 

 4H4-4I) ; tail, IJ; tar- 

 sus, 1^ ; culinen, IJ. 

 Nortli America ; breed- 

 ing from Illinois and 

 Pennsylvania, north to 

 Manitoba and Labra- 

 dor, and wintering from 

 about the same states 

 southward to Central 

 America. 



5. Sora (214. Por- 

 zhyia caroRna). — A 

 common, s h o r t> 

 tailed, short-billed, 

 long-legged, olive- 

 brown, marsh bird 

 or rail, with many white lines and dashes on the back and 

 wings. The under parts are slaty-gray, changing to white near 



the tail, the flanks 

 being barred with 

 black and white. 

 The feathers of the 

 back have darker 

 centers and lighter 

 edges. The adult 

 has black about the 

 base of the bill, 

 on the crown, and 

 down the middle 

 of the neck; the 

 young lacks these 

 gijjg^ black marks and 



apgar's birds. ^ — 17 



Virginia Rail 



