125 
Field, Marks. Rails rise from the grass at one's feet with a loose, feeble flight, legs 
dangling and neck outstretched. They rise with evident and hurried difficulty, fly weakly 
a short way over the marsh, and then suddenly collapse into it again. 
The Rails are skulkers and expert hiders in the grass. They thread 
the narrow runways between the clumps with mouse-like dexterity and 
speed. They rely on their ability to hide more than on 
flight to escape danger and will often allow themselves 
to be caught in the hand rather than take wing. A 
Rail will flush once in a seeming panic, but safely 
down again it can rarely be forced to wing a second 
time and in a small isolated clump of cover will 
seldom be again detected except by a dog's keen nose. 
Rails can and do swim, but only occasionally and only 
for a short distance, as when passing from one grass clump 
to another, they find the water too deep for wading. 
Rails are very noisy, especially at night. Even 
in the daytime a sudden and unexpected noise will 
bring forth a chorus of their loud harsh cacklings from 
the marsh, though not a bird may be seen. 
Our western Canadian Rails can be included in two divisions, a long- 
billed (Figure 152) and a short-billed (Figure 26, page 27) type. The first is 
represented by the King and Virginia Rails; the second by the Sora and 
Yellow Rails. 
Figure 151 
Foot of Rail; 
scale, i. 
208. King Rail. Rallus elegans. L, 15. A long-billed Rail so like the Virginia 
(which see) except in size as to hardly require further description, the only appreciable 
difference in colour being in having rufous mstead of grey cheeks. 
Distinctions. Size, 15 inches instead of 9*50, is a perfect distinction. 
Field Marks. As given for Virginia Rail but very much larger. Too rare within the 
territory covered by this book to be recorded on eye-sight alone. 
Nesting. In wet marsh, in nest of grass. 
Distribution. Eastern North America. Only regular in Canada in the most southern 
parts of Ontario. Included here on the basis of one bird reported from Manitoba. 
212. Virginia Rail. Rallies virginianus. L, 9*50. A long-billed Rail (Figure 152). 
Foreneck, breast, and flanks cinnamon-rufous; back brownish black, each feather broadly 
margined with an ochraceous shade of breast colour; 
flanks barred black and white. Cheeks slate grey, 
almost black in front of eye, and with partial white 
superciliary line. Bill largely red and legs reddish 
brown. Juvenile similar but colours veiled with 
black. 
Distinctions. Distinguished from any other Rail 
likely to be met with in western Canada by its long, 
decurved bill and general rufous coloration. Young 
birds, much clouded with black, have been taken for 
the Black Rail, but the long bill is distinctive. 
The King Rail is almost exactly similar in colour, 
but so decidedly larger (L, 15) as to cause no con- 
fusion. 
Field Marks. Obvious Rail appearance and habit, size, general reddish coloration, 
and long red bill. 
Nesting. In wet marsh, nest of grass. 
Distribution. North America. Breeds across Canada throughout the prairies, perhaps 
north of them, and in British Columbia into Cariboo district; the northern limit of 
range is not well known. 
This Rail is not quite so common as the Sora, but like it, more often 
heard than seen. Its characteristic notes are a hard, dry, cackling laugh 
and a calm whistle given in an ascending third. 
Virginia Rail; scale, J. 
