RAILS 



(212) Rallus virginianus Linn. 



VIRGINIA RAIL. Plumage as 

 shown. A smaller but perfect minia- 

 ture of the King Rail; if anything 

 the plumage is a trifle brighter. 

 Downy young a glossy greenish- 

 black, with a black-banded white 

 bill. L., 9.50; W., 4.50; T., i.oo; 

 Tar., i.4s; B., .85. Nesi — Oi 

 grasses on the ground in marshy 

 places; six to twelve pale buffy- 

 white eggs, sparingly spotted with 

 reddish-brown, 1.25 x .90. Notes — 

 A guttural, rattling, "cut-cut-cut-ee," 

 repeated at frequent intervals, espe- 

 cially at night. 



Range — Breeds from N. B., Ont., 

 Sask. and B. C. south to N. J., 

 Mo., and Cal. Winters chiefly in 

 the southern half of United States. 



CLAPPER RAILS are much more abundant than the 

 preceding species, but they frequent, almost entirely, salt- 

 water marshes, which of course confines them to the im- 

 mediate vicinity of the sea-coast. They are somewhat 

 smaller than the last species and duller colored, lacking any 

 decided markings. 



Unless disturbed they spend most of their time during 

 daylight in dozing among the thick sedge grasses. At dusk 

 they become exceedingly active and the marshes resound with 

 their loud, long, rolling, clattering cries. They travel 

 swiftly about in their search for food, threading their way 

 through the coarse, stiff marsh grass with amazing ease, and 

 running across open spaces of water and mud. 



Hardly ever, unless driven to it, do they take flight during 

 daylight, nor at night exxept during migrations. Their 

 safety lies in their long, strong legs and their arts of conceal- 

 ment. However, quantities of them are shot for the table, 

 although they are not nearly as desirable for an article of 

 food as the smaller Soras. Ordinarily it would be practically 



13s 



