258 KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



has the breast washed with cinnamon. Fresh-water marshes 

 inhabited by these birds in summer are vocal during the late 

 afternoon and early night with whistled ker-wees and loud 

 rolling lohinnies. Were it not for these cries, many places in- 

 habited by these birds might remain unexplored. (Carolina 

 Rail ; Common Crake.) 



Length, 8J ; wing, 4} (4-4J) ; tail, 2 ; tarsus, IJ ; culmen, J. Nortli 

 America ; breeding from Illinois and New York north to Hudson Bay, and 

 wintering from South Carolina to northern South America. 



6. Yellow Rail (215. Porzclna noveboracensis). — A rare, very 

 shy, small, short-billed, much mottled, brownish-yellow rail 

 with the under parts much lighter and less blotched than 

 the back. The feathers of the back have almost black centers, 

 ochraceous buff borders, and more or less of white bars. The 

 sides are barred with dark and white, and the middle of the 

 belly is almost pure white. Its notes have been compared to 

 those of the frogs. (Yellow Crake.) 



Length, 7 ; wing, 3^ (3-8f ) ; tail, IJ ; tarsus, 1 ; culmen, J. North 

 America; breeding from the Middle States, north to Nova Scotia and 

 Hudson Bay, and wintering south to Cuba. Not so rare east as west of 

 the Rocky Jlountains. 



7. Black Rail (216. Porzdna jamaicinsis). — A rare, very 

 small, short-billed, very dark-colored, somewhat speckled rail. 

 Its general color is brownish-black, and the markings are 

 mainly white. There is some reddish-brown on the back neck 

 and slate-color on the head and breast. (Little Black Crake.) 



Length, 6J ; wing, 2| (2J-.3}) ; tail, 1|; tarsus, | ; culmen, J. United 

 States; breeding north to Massachusetts, Illinois, and Oregon, and winter- 

 ing south to western South America. 



8. Corn Crake (217. Crex crex). — A large, Old World short- 

 billed, brownish-buff rail with much of brownish-red on the 

 wings. The feathers of the back have almost black centers, 

 the sides are barred with white, and the middle of the belly 

 is wholly white. This bird is of only casual occurrence in 

 eastern North America. 



Length, lOJ ; wing, 5:] ; tail, 2 ; tarsus, 1 J ; culmen, J. Very rare. 



