RAILS 89 



mack) . A Bpecimen was taken September 21, 1911, at Orange 

 Beach, and one October 19, 1908, at Bon Secour. 



General habits. — This species usually resorts to wet fresh- 

 water marshes, but in migration may be found also in grass 

 fields. Its notes are described by Brewster as "a succession 

 of grunting sounds not unlike those of a hungry pig; and, 

 during the breeding season, a guttural cut, cutta-cutta^cutta."t 



Food habits. — The food of this species is said to consist of 

 aquatic insects, worms, snails, and the seed's of various kinds 

 of grasses that grow on marshy ground and in the low fresh- 

 water meadows which it frequents.** 



SORA RAIL; CAROLINA RAIL: Porzana Carolina 

 (Linnaeus). 



State records. — The sora, or Carolina rail, is probably a 

 regular and not uncommon migrant in spring and fall, but 

 by reason of its seclusive habits is not often observed. Mc- 

 Cormack has observed it at Leighton in fall between Septem- 

 ber 13 and 28, and in spring between April 4 and May 19. 

 One was killed at Guntersville the second week in September, 

 1913. I saw two at Montgomery, April 19, 1912, and L. S. 

 Golsan saw one on a very late date near Autaugaville, June 1, 

 1912. Avery records the bird rare at Greensboro, having 

 seen one October 10, 1888, and collected one March 11, 1893. 

 He took one, also, on Dauphin Island, September 21, 1892. 

 W. L. Bryant killed one on Coffee Island, near Coden, Decem- 

 ber 2, 1916. 



General habits. — During its migrations this rail may be 

 found about the marshy borders of ponds, in overflowed 

 fields, or salt marshes. When pursued it skulks among the 

 reeds in preference to taking flight, and when on the wing 

 the flight is slow, straight forward, and usually not pro- 

 tracted. Chapman describes the bird's notes as a clear, 

 whistled ker-wee; and again, as "a high-voiced, rolling 

 whinny."* 



Food habits. — The sora feeds on the seeds of wild rice or 

 other marsh plants and on insects and snails. 



ItChapman, F. M., Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America, pp. 233-234, 1912. 

 "Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, Water birds of North America, vol. 1, p. 365, 1884. 

 'Chapman, F. M., Handbook of birds of Eastern North America, p. 284, 1912. 



