12 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 67 



Mich. (December 30, 1934, and February 8, 1934) ; Bayside, Long 

 Island, N.Y. (December 24, 1924) ; Miami and Meade Counties, Kans. 

 (late December) ; and Montauk Point, Long Island, N.Y. (Decem- 

 ber 27, 1951). 



In the New York City region. Bull (1964, p. 169) reported 15 

 winter specimens, 5 in December, Y in January, 1 in February, and 

 2 the first week in March. Eleven of the fifteen were taken in salt 

 marshes, and there were 19 sight records in salt marshes, nearly all 

 in December and J anuary . 



On the basis of extensive field observations by several ornitholo- 

 gists, including Robert E. Stewart, Milton B. Trautman, D. J. Nich- 

 olson, T. D. Burleigh, Oliver H. Hewitt, and myself, and as a result 

 of an intensive literature review, the most important areas of con- 

 centration probably have been determined. 



The King Rail occurs in greatest numbers in the vast coastal marsh 

 and ricefield area of southern Louisiana. Other areas supporting 

 high populations include the coastal marsh-rice belt of Texas; the 

 Arkansas rice belt ; the fresh and brackish tidal marshes of the Caro- 

 linas and Georgia; the Everglades, the Kissimmee Prairie, and the 

 St. Johns River marshes of Florida; and the tidal marshes of the 

 Delaware Valley and Chesapeake Bay. The Lake Erie marshes of 

 northern Ohio and the St. Clair Flats opposite Detroit, Mich., are 

 two important concentration areas in the North Central States. 



MIGRATION 



Throughout most of its range the King Rail is migratory. Evi- 

 dence of movements between wintering and breeding grounds is based 

 on recoveries of banded birds, and birds heard calling overhead at 

 night, striking beacons, and appearing in odd places such as city 

 streets during periods of migration. 



The Atlantic Coastal Plain, particularly its outer section, and the 

 Mississippi Valley are important fiyways of the King Rail. The 

 occurrence of King Rails near the Atlantic coast during migration is 

 due to movements to and from breeding grounds in that area. King 

 Rails commonly breed at many places less than 50 miles from the 

 coast. Several known localities include Butler Island near Darien, 

 Ga. ; Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, Jasper County, S.C. ; 

 Georgetown, S.C. ; Currituck Sound, N.C. ; Norfolk, Va. ; the coastal 

 sea islands and Delaware Bay marshes. 



A King Rail collected by I. N. Gabrielson in the Atlantic coast salt 

 marshes at Wachapreague, Va., August 25, and several taken by 

 hunters in September at Chincoteague, Va., indicate the probable 

 route of migration of at least some northeast Atlantic coast breeding 

 birds. 



During 7 years' residence in the lower Mississippi Valley, I heard 

 migrating King Rails regularly every spring at Alexandria, La., and 



