35 



sparingly in the sand-hill region. Arrives late in March and in April 

 and departs in October. 



Family RALLID-SJ — Rails, Gallinules, and Coots 



1. Forehead provided with a shield-like, horny extension of the bill; 



under tail-coverts white (2) 



1. Forehead without the shield-like, horny extension of bill (4) 



2. Toes with broad, membranous lobes; slate-colored, with 



white-tipped secondary quills Coot. 



2. Toes without lobes (3) 



3. Most of the head and all under parts purplish blue (in the young mot- 

 tled with white) ; back olive-green (washed with brownish in the 



• young) Purple Gallinule. 



3. Generally slate-colored above, with conspicuous white streaks on the 



. flanks Florida Gallinule. 



4. Bill slender, decurved, 2 or more inches long; upper parts rich 

 olive-brown, streaked with black; 16 to 19 inches long. . . . 



King Rail. 



4. Bill slender, decurved, \\ to If inches long; upper parts black 



and grayish brown; 8 to 10J inches long Virginia Rail. 



4. Bill stout, not decurved, 1 inch or less in length (5) 



5. Feathers of the back black with broad, buffy borders Yellow Rail. 



5. Back blackish with round, white spots Black Rail. 



5. Olive-brown, streaked with white on back and wings Sora. 



208. *Rallus elegans Audubon — King Rail. 



A summer resident in the eastern third of the state, but not com- 

 mon, arriving early in May and breeding in June. West Point, Elk- 

 horn, Omaha, and Sarpy, Lancaster, and Harlan counties — breeding 

 at Omaha. In the Proc. N. 0. U., II, p. 84, J. S. Hunter reports the 

 King Rail from Cherry county but later experience seems to throw 

 doubt on this identification, although since in the Proceedings, I, p. 

 16, J. M. Bates says this species was reported to him as on Ballard's 

 lake, in the same locality, in September, 1898, its occurrence in the 

 sand-hill region may later be verified. 



212. *Rallus virginianus Linnaeus — Virginia Rail. 



A common migrant, at times even abundant, and also a common 

 breeder in the northern part of the state and in the sand-hill region, 

 but a rather rare breeder in the southeastern portion of Nebraska. 

 Arrives early in May, leaves about the end of September. Omaha. 

 West Point, Plattsmouth, Lincoln, Gresham, Neligh, and Cherry 

 county — found once breeding at Lincoln, and a common breeder at 

 Neligh and in Cherry county. 



214. *Porzana Carolina (Linnaeus) — Carolina Rail; Sora. 



An abundant migrant, and rather common breeder in the eastern 

 part of the state, a rare breeder in the sand-hill region. Same dates 

 as the preceding. West Point, Oakland, Peru, Richardson county, 



