BIRDS OF PORTO RICO. 37 



The bird is very shy and inhabits the densest swamps. On Culebra April 

 was apparently the beginning of the breeding season and the rails were heard 

 constantly. Near Mameyes one was seen slipping like a gray shadow between 

 the roots at the edge of a lagoon. 



In the region known as La Playita, near Salinas, clapper rails were abundant 

 and by May 2 some had young a week old, while others were still laying. In 

 the lower part of the swamps they were heard calling constantly and their 

 tracks were seen everywhere in the soft mud. They fed through the more 

 open parts of the mangroves here, sometimes darting across openings or even 

 swimming across small pools of water. When caught in small isolated clumps 

 of mangroves in deep water they frequently flew just above the water with 

 a slow direct flight, rather than swim to safety. They ran swiftly, covering 

 the ground with long strides, sometimes pausing when in the shelter of the 

 mangroves to look back and see what startled them. One female followed by 

 six or eight coal-black young was seen in a small opening, but at a slight noise 

 all disappeared. One young bird taken was entirely black and had stocky 

 legs and big feet. 



Food. — Eleven stomachs of the clapper rail were examined and the food was 

 found to be entirely animal matter. A small quantity of vegetable rubbish 

 found in one stomach was without doubt taken accidentally and may be dis- 

 regarded. Two stomachs were entirely empty, leaving nine available for 

 study. Only one contained fish remains and the others, with the single excep- 

 tion of the small amount of vegetable matter noted, were filled with remains 

 of crustaceans usually finely ground. The great mass of these were identified 

 as fiddler crabs {Ilea pugnax rapax) and they formed the entire contents of 

 six of the stomachs examined and occurred in seven of the nine. Other crus- 

 tacean remains, together with these crabs, form 94.45 per cent. 



This bird is of value as a game bird and from its habits is capable of hold- 

 ing its own so long as the mangrove swamps remain. It should, however, be 

 protected from March 1 to December 1, at least. 



LIMPKIN, COURIiAN. Aramus vociferus (Latham). 

 Carrao, Guareao. 



Although reported from many localities, the carrao, or limpkin, can be 

 recorded certaiuly only from the north slopes of El Yunque above Rio Grande, 

 the region between Adjuntas and Maricao, and the Hacienda Jobo west of 

 Utuado. It is apparently unknown on the smaller islands and is now very 

 rare on Porto Rico. Formerly more abundant, it was highly esteemed as a 

 game bird. Gundlach (1878, p. 387) records it as common and nesting from 

 the end of December through January, laying from three to five eggs. He 

 describes its food as consisting of mollusks, earthworms, insects, crustaceans, 

 and land shells. 



In Porto Rico the limpkin inhabits dense wet forest growth in remote locali- 

 ties and occurs usually on steep slopes, frequently at some distance above the 

 streams. It is said to be found in pairs, and when hunted the birds run rap- 

 idly and noiselessly before the sportsman, rarely flying, seeking the densest 

 cover. Only in early morning do they come out into the more open forest. 

 The natives are said to pursue them on foot through the wet growth. Soon 

 the birds' feathers become too wet for flight, and in a short time, when tired 

 out, they may be captured in the hand. The native name is given to the bird 

 in imitation of its cry. 



The main part of the food is said to be the common large land shells (Pleu- 

 rodonte carocalla), and to some extent lizards. 



