CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 1 39 



The nest was of rushes, and built precisely like that of the Caro- 

 lina bird, but it was situated rather in a damp meadow than a 

 marsh. {Seton-Thompson) This is the commonest rail in the St. 

 Lawrence valley and breeds annually in the marshes along the St. 

 Lawrence and inland. It frequents larger marshes than the 

 Sora, though occasionally they are found breeding in the 

 same localities. I have found several nests ; two of these were 

 in wet places, formed by rank grass, etc., and placed simply in 

 tussocks of marsh grass. The third was near Gananoque Lake 

 among a cluster of flags and bullrushes, and was formed of last 

 year's stems of the latter, fastened among the rushes and floating 

 in about eighteen inches of water, like a Gallinule's. They are 

 late breeders. The first nest I found, containing nine eggs, on 

 the 17th June, incubation only commencing ; the last one, six eggs, 

 incubation advanced, on the 15th July, 1896. {Rev. C.J. Young.) 

 This is a rare bird in Manitoba. On the 12th June, 1893, I found 

 a nest with one egg at Reaburn, Manitoba, and shot the parent. 

 {Dippie.) This species breeds wherever there is a sufficiently 

 large marsh, a small one of an acre being enough to please, and 

 sometimes even less will do. {W. Saunders^ 



MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 



Three ; two taken in Toronto marsh, and the third at Ottawa by 

 Dr. Charles Saunders. 



One set of eggs taken in a marsh near Ottawa, by Mr. A. L. 

 Garneau, on May 20th, 1896 ; another set taken at St. Clair Flats, 

 June nth, 1893, received from Mr. Raine. 



LXXVI. PORZANA Vieillot. 18 16. 



213. Spotted Crake. 



Porzana porzana (Linn.) Boucard. 1876. 



One specimen of this species is said to have been shot at Fred- 

 erickshaab, Greenland some years ago. {Hagerup.) One obtained 

 at Godthaab, September 28th, 1841 ; a second taken at Nenortalik 

 was sent to Copenhagen in 1856. {Arct. Man.) Taken again in 

 1878. (Winge.) 



214. Carolina Rail. Sora- 



Porzana Carolina (Linn.) Baird. 1845 



Casual in Greenland. One killed at Sukkertop, October 3rd, 

 1823. (Arct. Man. Several taken in recent years in Greenland. 



