WATER BIRDS. 153 
to the Middle States, northern Illinois, Wisconsin and Kansas, casually 
to Massachusetts, Maine and Ontario. 
In Michigan this species is confined apparently to the southern half of 
the Lower Peninsula, although it may occur as a straggler somewhat farther 
north. We have speci- 
mens taken near Sagi- 
naw Bay, and it has 
been found breeding at 
Grand Rapids. Itisa 
common nester at St. 
Clair Flats, and is fairly 
abundant in the neigh- 
borhood of the Agricul- 
tural College, Ingham 
county, although far less common than either the Virginia Rail or the Sora. 
Like all the rails it is shy, secretive, and rarely seen unless specially looked 
for. Most of the specimens taken are killed in the fall while hunting quail or 
woodcock with a dog, and at such times the rails are often found on dry 
ground adjacent to marshes. It seems to migrate entirely by night and 
ordinarily is rather quiet during the day, probably like most of the rails 
feeding principally morning and evening, but more or less all through the 
night. 
The nest is placed usually in long marsh-grass, but little elevated above 
the ground, and is made of grasses and weeds like most rail nests. The 
eggs vary in number from 6 to 16 and are commonly about 10. They are 
buffy or cream white rather heavily spotted and specked with red brown, 
and average 1.63 by 1.22 inches. They are most often found in southern 
Michigan from the middle of May to the middle of June. According to 
B. H. Swales “Some breed at Grassy Island, Detroit River, just below 
Detroit, but they are much more abundant at St. Clair Flats. A nest 
found July 9, 1896, contained 9 eggs of the King Rail, 8 eggs of the Virginia 
Rail, and one of the Sora. The bird seen to leave the nest was a King Rail” 
(Bull. Mich. Orn. Club, I, 32). 
Undoubtedly the bird is much more common than it seems, yet Lower 
Michigan forms the northern limit of its breeding range and it certainly 
is one of the less common rails. Most of our correspondents call it rare, 
but along the eastern side of the state, from Monroe county to Saginaw Bay, 
it must be considered far from rare. 
Its food is much like that of the Virginia Rail and consists of a mixture 
of animal and vegetable substances. According to Kumlien & Hollister 
“Tt occurs in much higher and dryer situations than any of the other rails, 
and often frequents stubble fields when not too far away from the marsh. 
We have found the esophagus literally crammed with oats, and in the latter 
part of summer and early fall the birds subsist largely on grasshoppers” 
(Birds of Wisconsin, p. 38). Prof. Aughey examined seven stomachs taken 
in Nebraska in August and October, 1874, and May 1875, and found locusts 
in every stomach, the number varying from 17 to 48. Each stomach 
contained also other insects and seeds (lst Rep. U. 8. Entom. Com., App. 
2, p. 56). 
one to its nocturnal movements the dates of arrival and departure 
are somewhat uncertain, but it probably reaches Michigan early in May 
and leaves for the south during October, although individuals may linger 
until early November (Detroit, Nov. 5, 1905, Swales). 
Fig. 41. Foot of King Rail. (Original) 
