232 
RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS 
those of the next species, 1*68 x 1*20. Date, Mercer Co., 111., May 5; Raleigh, 
N. C., May 31; se. Minn., June 6. 
The King Rail is the fresh-water representative of the Clapper Rail. 
It is, however, a much less common bird, and less is known of its habits. 
Like other Rails, it is a skulker, and never flies when it can escape 
by running or hiding in the dense grass of its home. On three occasions 
I have heard what I am quite sure was the King Rail’s call, a loud, 
startling bup , blip, bup, bup, bup , uttered with increasing rapidity 
until the syllables were barely distinguishable, then ending somewhat 
as it began. The whole performance occupied about five seconds. 
211. Rallns crepitans crepitans Gmel. Clapper Rail. (Fig. 39, a.) 
Ad. — Upperparts very pale greenish olive, the feathers widely margined 
with gray; wings and tail grayish brown; wing-coverts pale cinnamon 
much washed with gray; throat white; neck and breast pale, between ochra- 
ceous and cream-buff, more or less washed with grayish ; belly and sides gray 
or brownish gray, barred with white. Downy young — Glossy black. L., 
14*50; W., 5*00; Tar., 2*00; B., 2*50. 
Remarks. — The Clapper Rail may always be known from the King Rail 
by its generally grayish instead of brownish or blackish upperparts, and its 
much paler breast and flanks and paler wing-coverts. 
Range. — Salt marshes of the Atlantic coast. Breeds from Conn, to N. 
C.; winters mainly s. of N. J.; casual n. to Maine. 
Washington, A. V., one record. Long Island, common S. R., Apl.-Oct., 
a few winter. Ossining, A. V. 
Nest, of grasses, near or on the ground, in grass-grown, salt-water marshes. 
Eggs, 8-12, buffy white, spotted and speckled with rufous-brown, 1*72 x 1*20. 
Date, Cobb’s Island, Va., May 19; Oyster Bay, N. Y., May 24. 
The Clapper Rail is an inhabitant of grassy, salt-water marshes, and, 
in the southern parts of its range, of mangrove swamps. It is almost 
impossible to flush these birds unless their haunts are invaded by an 
unusually high tide, when a boat may be pushed through the meadows 
and the birds forced to take wing. I have heard birds calling in the 
tall grass within a few feet of me, and have made a wild rush in their 
direction, only to be mocked a moment later by apparently the same 
bird calling from a point almost within reach. They dodge about over 
well-traveled pathways like children in a game of blindman’s buff. 
While not strictly gregarious, they live in colonies, and the call of 
one bird is sometimes taken up and repeated by others until the marsh 
vibrates with their cries. 
211a. R. c. saturates Hensh. Louisiana Clapper Rail. A local race 
of the Clapper Rail found in the marshes of Louisiana. It is much darker 
than crepitans , but not so dark as scottii. “W., 5*65; Tar., 1*97; B., 2*27” 
(Ridgw.). 
Range. — Coast of Louisiana. 
211b. R. e. seotti Senn. Florida Clapper Rail. Differs from 
crepitans in being black, fuscous or olive-brown above, with olive-gray mar- 
gins to the feathers ; in having the neck and breast cinnamon-rufous washed 
with brownish, and in having the belly and flanks black instead of gray. In 
fact, the general color of scottii suggests a King Rail, but the latter may 
