THE BIRD BOOK 



'211. Clapper Rail. Rallus crepitans 

 crepitans. 



Range. — Salt marshes of the Atlantic coast 

 from southern New Rngland southward. 



A grayish colored Rail, about the size of, and 

 with the markings similar to tliose of the King 

 Rail. It is as exclusively a salt water species as 

 the King Rail is a fresh water one. Witli the 

 possible exception" of the Carolina or Sora Rail, 

 this is the most abundant of all the Rails, hun- 



Buff. 



dreds nesting in a single marsh on the South 

 Atlantic coast. Their nests are built of rushes 

 and weeds, and are placed on the ground either in 

 the tall grass bordering the marshes or attaclied 

 to the rushes in the midst of the marsh. The 

 nesting season commences during April and con- 

 tinues through May. They lay from six to four 

 teen eggs, of a buff color spotted irregularly with 

 brown and gray. Size 1.70 x 1.20. 



Ralhis crep- 



'211a. LonsiANA Clapper Rail. 

 itans saturatua. 

 The habitation of this subspecies is limited to 

 the coast of Louisiana. It is very similar to the proceeding but is said to be 

 brighter in plumage. 



King" RfLi], 

 Clapper Rail. 



211b. Florida Clapper Rail. EaUiin crepitans scotti. 



Range. — Western coast of Florida. 



This bird is also similar to ci-riiiliiiin but is mucli darker and brighter. 



'21 le. Wayne's Clapper Rail. Ralliis crepitans wayvei. 



Range. — South Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Florida. 



This subspecies is a little darker than crepitans, being about midway be- 

 tween that species and Ualhuf ncntfi. The nests and eggs of any of these sub- 

 species cannot be distinguished from those of the common Clapper Rail. 



211.2. Caribbean Clapper Rail. Rallus longirostris caribaeus. 



Range. — West Indies and east coast of Mexico, north to southern Texas. 

 This species is similar to the Clapper, but has a shorter and relatively stouter 

 bill. 



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