370 
ALECTORIDES. 
Porzana Carolina. 
THE CAROLINA KAIL; SORA RAIL. 
Ball us carolinus, Linn. S. N. I. ed. 10, I. 1758, 153 ; ed. 12, I. 1766, 263. — Sw. & Rich. ,F. B. A. 
II. 1831, 403. — Aud. Orn. Biog. III. 1835, 251 ; V. 1839, 572, pi. 233. 
Rallus ( Orex ) carolinus, Bonap. Obs. Wils. 1825, no. 230. — Nutt. Man. II. 1834, 209. 
Ortygometra Carolina, Bonap. Comp. List, 1838, 53. — Aud. Synop. 1839, 213 ; B. Am. Y. 1842, 145, 
pi. 306. 
Porzana Carolina, Cass, in Baird’s B. N. Am. 1858, 749. — BAir.D, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 555. — 
Coues, Key, 1872, 273 ; Check List, 1873, no. 468 ; 2d ed. '1882, no. 679 ; Birds N. W. 1874, 
538. — Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 574. 
Rallus stolidus, Yieill. Enc. Meth. 1823, 1071. 
Hab. The whole of temperate North America, but most common in the Eastern Province ; 
West Indies in general; whole of Middle America, south to New Granada and Venezuela ; acci- 
dental in Greenland and Europe ; Bermudas (numerous in migrations). Breeds chiefly in the 
northern part of its range. 
Sp. Char. Adult: Above, bright olive-brown, with longitudinal spots of black, some of the 
feathers edged with white ; top of head with a broad longitudinal stripe of black ; anterior por- 
tion of head, Avith chin and throat, black ; sides of head and neck (except as described), jugu- 
lum, and breast light plumbeous ; abdomen Avhite ; anal region and crissum creamy white or pale 
buff ; flanks sharply barred Avith white and slate-color. Young : Similar, but lores and superciliary 
stripe broAvnish, the chin and throat whitish ; rest of neck, with jugulum and breast, light broAvn- 
ish. Bill greenish yelloAV (more orange, especially at base, in summer adults) ; iris brown ; legs 
and feet greenish. “ Downy stage — chick a feAv days old : Bill short, exceedingly compressed, high 
at base, rapidly tapering, the tip deflected. The Avhole body densely covered Avith dull black 
doAvn, beyond Avhich are produced abundant long, glossy, black hair-like filaments. Upon the 
throat is a tuft of stiff, coarse bristle-like feathers of a bright orange-color. These are directed 
forward, and give the bird a most singular appearance. (From a specimen in my cabinet collected 
at Cambridge, Mass., June 24, 1874.) This bird, although the only specimen of the kind now at 
hand, is one of a large brood Avhich Avas attended by the female parent. Several of the others 
Avere distinctly seen and closely examined at the time. All had a similar orange tuft upon the 
throat.” [Breavster, in “ Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club,” January, 1879, p. 48.] 
The most abundant and most universally known bird of its genus inhabiting the United States, 
and variously known as “the Rail,” “Sora,” or “Ortolan,” according to locality. It is especially 
numerous along the creeks and rivers on the Atlantic during the autumnal migration, when excur- 
sions for obtaining it are a favorite amusement of our gunners and sportsmen. It appears to inhabit 
the entire temperate regions of North America. There is apparently little, if any, geographical 
variation noticeable in a large series of specimens, and the principal individual variation consists 
in the extent of the black on the throat, Avhich in some examples extends back as far as the middle 
of the abdomen. 
The Common Sora Rail, so abundant in the eastern portion of the Middle States 
during its migrations, and so familiar to all the sportsmen of the Delaware, appears 
