NATURAL HISTORY OF THE KING RAIL 



9 



tained (64 percent relative humidity and 37.8° C. forced draft) 

 (Wetherbee, 1959) the embryos died between the iTth and 19th days 

 of incubation. The embryos appeared to be normal, and the deaths 

 were believed to have been accidental rather than indicative of genetic 

 incomp'aitibility. 



Subsequent observations revealed that King and Clapper Kails 

 frequently were found together in the extensive brackish bay marshes 

 in the Taylor's Gut area known as Broadway Meadows and located 

 between Fleming's Landing and Woodland Beach, Del. (Meanley 

 and Wetherbee, 1962, pp. 453^57; Meanley, 1965, pp. 3-7). 



During the breeding seasons of 1960-64, a series of specimens was 

 collected in the Broadway Meadows marsh for plumage analysis. 

 Specimens were obtained at three stations: (a) the upper reaches of 

 the brackish marsh at Fleming's Landing, where King Rails only 

 were observed; (b) the outer brackish marsh at Woodland Beach on 

 Delaware Bay, where Clapper Rails only were observed; and (c) the 

 intermediate area between these two stations at Taylor's Gut, where 

 both Kings and Clappers occurred. Specimens from the intermediate 

 area showed a wide variation from typical King plumage to typical 

 Clapper plumage (table 1). 



In addition to the localities mentioned, there are undoubtedly many 

 other such areas in the brackish marshes of the Atlantic and Gulf 

 Coastal Plain where mixed King Rail and Clapper Rail populations 

 occur. In fact, almost any Coastal Plain river that has extensive brack- 

 ish marshes and a sizable fiddler crab population is a potential King- 

 Clapper mixing ground. 



Table 1. — Specimens randomly collected from Taylor's Gut, Del., an area of mixed 

 King and Clapper Rail populations 



Species and age Sex Collection 



date 



King RaU: 



Adult Male May 13,1961 



Do Female Apr. 15,1963 



Do ..do Aug. 23,1963 



Do .do May 29,1964 



Do.... do July 30,1964 



Subadult - - do i June 11, 1960 



Do.. do June 30,1960 



Juvenile do July 14,1964 



Clapper Rail: 



Adult Male i June 11, 1960 



Do do June 25,1960 



Do - do. June 29,1964 



Do..-. Female May 13,1961 



Do ....do Aug. 30,1963 



Hybrid(?): 



Adult Male Aug. 23,1963 



Do do Do. 



Do Female-.. Aug. 30,1963 



1 Paired and active nest found. 



348-693 0—69- 



