RAILS 



(211) Railus crepitans crepi= 

 tans 



{Gmel.) (Lat,, clattering, noisy). 



CLAPPER RAIL. Plumage as 

 shown; much duller than that of 

 the last species; back indistinctly 

 marked and flanks barred with 

 gray and white. L., 14.50; W., 

 5.00; Tar., 2.00; B., 2.50. 



Range — Breeds in salt marshes 

 from Conn, to N. Car. Casual in 

 Maine. Winters south of N. J. 

 (211a) R. c. saturatus Ridgway 



LOUISIANA CLAPPER RAIL. 

 "Coast of La." Slightly darker. 

 (211b) R. c. scotti Sennett 



FLORIDA CLAPPER RAIL. 

 Gulf coast of Fla. Much darker 

 above. 

 (211c) R. c. waynei Brewster 



WAYNE'S CLAPPER RAIL. 

 Coast from N. Car. to Fla. Midway 

 between crepitans and scotti. 



and very long, slender toes to enable them to run rapidly 

 through the marshes without sinking into the mire. 



KING RAILS, the largest of our rails, are locally dis- 

 tributed throughout eastern United States, frequenting fresh- 

 water marshes. They can readily be identified, when seen, 

 by their comparatively large size and bright coloration. 

 They are, however, so secretive in their habits that they are 

 seldom observed except by the gunner who poles his skiff 

 through the marshes trying to flush them. During twilight, 

 and often during the night — for they feed chiefly after dark 

 — their voices may be heard over the marshes in all direc- 

 tions. These night marsh voices are very difiictflt to identify, 

 a fact that might be judged by the widely differing notes 

 ascribed to this and other species by various authors. My 

 own belief is that it is a loud, metallic "klink, kUnk, " etc., 

 repeated many times, first at slow, measured intervals, and 

 then faster and faster, and finally dying away. 



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