najtural history of the king rail 39 



during May and June 1965. Softrush, tussock sedge {Carex stricta)^ 

 and arrowhead {Sagittaria sp.) were the common emergent herbaceous 

 plants. Woody marsh plants included swamp viburnum {Viburnum 

 nudum) ^ arrow- wood (F. dentatum)^ buttonbush, alder {Alrms serru- 

 lata)^ winterberry {Ilex verticiUata) ^ red maple {Acer rabrum)^ and 

 willow {Salix nigra) . In late summer Woodcock {Philohela mmor) 

 were common in this same area. 



DELAWARE BAY, DEL. 



King and Clapper Eails inhabit the extensive brackish bay marshes 

 known as Broadway Meadows between Fleming's Landing and Wood- 

 land Beach, Kent County, Del. Two King-Clapper pairs and their 

 nests were found in June 1960 at Taylor's Gut approximately halfway 

 between Fleming's Landing and Woodland Beach (fig. 20). 



Figure 20.— Taylor's Gut at low tide, Kent County, Del., September 30, 1963. 

 Vegetation in this breeding habitat of mixed King and Clapper Rail popula- 

 tions is mainly saltmarsh cordgrass {Spartina alterniflora), big cordgrass 

 {Spartina cynosuroides) , saltmarsh bulrush (Scirpus rodustus), and 

 high tide-bush {Iva frutescens). (Photograph by Frederick C. Schmid.) 



The section of marsh at Taylor's Gut where mixed populations occur 

 is more typical of Clapper Rail than of King Rail habitat. The domi- 



