94 Birds of Colorado 
chin white, becoming pale rufous on the breast ; thighs, abdomen and 
under tail-coverts ashy-black, barred with white ; wing-coverts chestnut, 
forming a patch; iris red, bill dusky, paler on the lower mandible, 
feet yellowish-brown. Length 9-0; wing 4-25; tail 1-6; culmen 
1-55; tarsus 1-5. 
The female is slightly smaller—wing 3-90; young birds have the 
plumage much mottled with black, but the chestnut wing-patch is 
always present. 
Distribution.—Breeding throughout temperate North America from 
Labrador and Vancouver Island, south throughout the United States ; 
wintering in the southern United States and south to Guatemala 
and Cuba. 
In Colorado the Virginia Rail, though seldom seen, appears to be a 
fairly common summer resident in the eastern plains, extending up into 
the parks to about 8,000 feet. I have not heard of it on the western 
slopes, though, as it is found in Utah, it probably occurs. It arrives 
from the south about the second week in April—Loveland, April 9th 
(H. G. Smith}—and breeds where suitable conditions exist. Apparently 
a few birds occasionally winter in the State, as an example was brought 
to Aiken, February 16th, 1899, which was taken at a spring a few 
miles from Colorado Springs, and this was at the end of one of the coldest 
spells known for many years. Mr. J. C. Hersey informs me that a few 
spend the winter at Barr Lake every year, where it also nests quite, 
commonly. Breeding records are: Loveland and Fort Collins (Cooke) 
Boulder co., plains (Gale), Fountain and San Luis Lakes (Aiken) ; other 
records are—Pueblo, May 20th and November 3rd (Beckham), Wet 
Mountain Valley (Cooke). 
Habits.—Like all Rails this species is a timid, skulking 
bird, hiding in the thick reed-beds of swamps and marshes 
both fresh and salt, and more often heard than seen. 
It has a kind of grunting note, heard most frequently 
in the evening or at night when it is more active than 
in the middle of the day. The Virginia Rail walks with 
a very deliberate step, with its short tail cocked up, and 
presents rather a ludicrous appearance. 
The nest is placed on the ground, usually in wet, boggy 
places, and is composed of rushes and swamp-grasses 
woven together ; it is sometimes fixed on a dry tussock, 
and is generally carefully concealed. A clutch of twelve 
eggs, taken by I. C. Hall near Greeley, June Ist, 1903, 
