446 



THE VIRGINIA RAIL. 



pared not inaptly to the grunting of a hungry pig, while the same author, 

 Mr. Brewster, likens the love song of the male to the syllables "cut, cutta, 

 cutta, cutta." The anxiety of the female is betrayed by a mournful ki-i, or 

 by short phrases of creaking notes. If the young are in hidin|;' a low cluck 

 of reassurance will bring them skurrying to find their mother. 



The nesting is quite similar to that of the next species in all respects, 

 save that the eggs are almost certainly distinguishable by their lighter creamy 

 tones, as well as by the clearer red of their markings, and that they are on 

 the average fewer in number. 



Taken in Lorain Coniily. 



Photo by the Author. 



NEST AND EGGS OF THE VIRGINIA RAIL. 



