The Light-footed Rail 



of Norway rats, which infest these marshes and which do not scruple to 

 plunder the nests, whatever the stage of incubation reached. 



According to Mr. Chase Littlejohn, still another enemy has arisen to 

 make the life of this bird miserable — a certain mussel once imported from the 

 East. This thrifty bivalve flourishes and increases enormously in just that 

 range which has been from time immemorial the peculiar province of the 

 rail; viz., the mud strip just below the line of vegetation on the banks of 

 the tide channels. Now the bird must seek its living here or change its 

 habits entirely. But the mussel is a sensitive, not to mention a super- 

 cilious creature, and when our native son steps carelessly, it closes its 

 doors with a bang — and often seizes the hapless rail by the toe. 



So common is this that many specimens with maimed feet or missing 

 toes have been taken, and a few have been captured right where they were 

 being held captive by the mussels. Others, more fortunate in escaping, are 

 nevertheless condemned to drag about a ball on the foot, a mass of dried 

 mud and trash of which the mussel is the unyielding nucleus. The bivalve 

 apparently never releases its hold, and even in death, which must soon 

 occur, does not relax its deathly grasp upon its victim. 



In one instance at least, a bird was seized by the bill, and although it 

 was able to wrest the bivalve free from its anchorage, the creature had 

 closed upon its beak with such a grip that the bird was unable to get food, 

 and was found in a famished and attenuated condition. This specimen 

 Mr. Littlejohn has in his collection, a mute reminder of one knows not how 

 many scores of similar tragedies. 



No. 303 



Light-footed Rail 



A. O. U. No. 2 10. i. Rallus levipes Bangs. 



Description. — Adult: Similar to R. obsoletus, but slightly smaller and colora- 

 tion warmer and darker; breast, etc., cinnamon-rufous instead of cinnamon-brown. 

 Bill averaging shorter; feet and legs less robust. Av. of 5 skins: wing 151. 1 (5.95); bill 

 56.3 (2.22) ; tarsus 52.7 (2.07). 



Recognition Marks. — As in preceding species; smaller and darker. 



Nesting. — Nest and eggs indistinguishable from those of preceding species. 



Range (chiefly within California). — Resident in coastal marshes from San Quen- 

 tin, Lower California, north at least to Santa Barbara. 



Authorities. — Henshaw [Rallus obsoletus), Rep. Orn. Wheeler Surv., 1876, 

 p. 273 (Santa Barbara) ; Bangs, Proc. New England Zool. Club, vol. L, 1899, p. 45 

 (orig. desc. of Rallus levipes; type locality, Newport Landing, Los Angeles Co.) ; Willett, 

 Pac. Coast Avifauna, no. 7, 1912, p. 32 (s. Calif., nesting dates, etc.). 



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