Nesting of the Little Black Rail in Connecticut. — On the evening of the 
13th of July, 1876, one of my neighbors called in to ask me if I cared for a 
set of Rail's eggs. I did not care very much, as Virginia Rails are very 
common here, but on inquiry as to what variety he had found, he replied 
that he could not tell. He had been mowing at the Cove meadows and his 
scythe had decapitated a Rail sitting on her nest of nine eggs, and he had 
placed the remains of the bird and eggs — some of them broken — aside for 
me. I was greatly surprised when I beheld what he had brought me, so 
totally unlike were they to anything I had ever seen, and it was only after 
considerable research that I discovered that I possessed something very 
rare — eggs of the Little Black Rail ( Porzana jamaicensis). Some of these 
specimens I sent to my friend, Mr. H. A. Purdie of Boston, for confirmation 
of their identity, and an account of the find was inserted in the ‘Bulletin 
of January, 1S77. The other specimens I retained in my collection, with 
no anticipation that opportunity would ever recur for duplicating them. 
But on the 6th of June, 1884, I made a trip to ‘Great Island’ — a tract of 
salt meadow near the mouth of the Connecticut River, on its eastern 
shore — in search of nests of Ammodromi which abound in that locality # 
During a very successful hunt for them I observed a tuft of green grass 
carefully woven and interlaced together, too artificially to be the work of 
nature. ‘Merely another Finch’s nest,’ I mused, as I carefully parted the 
green bower overhanging it. But wasn’t there an extra and audible beat 
to my pulse when before my astonished gaze lay three beautiful Little 
Black Rail’s eggs? Recovering from my surprise I carefully replaced the 
disarranged curtain that excluded the sun from the precious eggs, fixed 
some permanent ranges, and quietly departed to await the completion of 
the set. A week later, on the 13th of June, I again visited the nest and 
found therein the full complement of nine eggs. 
This nest was situated about forty rods back from the shore of the river, 
on the moist meadow, often overflowed by the spring tides. The particu- 
lar spot had not been mowed for several years, and the new grass, spring- 
ing up through the old, dry, accumulated growths of .previous years, was 
thick, short, and not over eight or ten inches in height — a fine place for 
Rails to glide unseen among its intricacies. The nest after the comple- 
ment of eggs were deposited in it resembled that of the common Meadow 
Lark, it consisting of fine meadow grasses loosely put together, with a 
covering of the standing grasses woven over it and a passage and entrance 
at one side. The eggs also have a general resemblance to the Lark’s, but 
differ in several points, being smaller and of a duller white, withowt the 
gloss usual on the Lark’s. The spots are also smaller than the ordinary 
markings on the Lark’s eggs. In size I find them as follows: No 1, 1.04 
X .81 inches; No. 2, 1.04 X .81; No. 3, 1.04 X .79; Nos. 4 and 5, 1.00 
X .80; No. 6, 1. 00 X .81 ; No. 7, 1.02 X .80; No. 8, .98 X 81 ; No. 9, .97 
X .80. 
Compared with other Rail’s eggs, they most resemble in general color 
those of the Virginia Rail, but the markings are much smaller as well as 
much more numerous; two of the specimens have, however, large spots, 
like Virginia Rail’s, at the large end ; but in the majority the spots are 
small and abundant. The difference between the two ends, if any, is very 
slight, the eggs being much less elongated than those of any other Rail 
I have seen. 
I found a Lark’s nest the same day within two rods of this Rail’s nest, 
and not very far from it a Virginia Rail’s nest. Taking one of the nine 
eggs therein for comparison, I find it measures 1.30 X .98 inches ; rather 
larger than the average of the species. 
I must add an account of my efforts to secure the Little Black Rail with 
the set. I devoted the whole day to this special end, and visited the nest 
about every half hour through the day, approaching it with every possible 
caution, and having a little tuft of cotton directly over the nest to indicate 
the exact spot; but although I tried it from every quarter with the utmost 
diligence and watchfulness, I was never able to obtain the slightest glimpse 
of the bird — never perceived the slightest quiver of the surrounding grass 
to mark her movements as she glided away, and yet I found the eggs warm 
every time, indicating that she had but just left them. — John N. Clark, 
Saybrook, Ct. Auk, I, Oct. , 1884 . p. J?f ,3 - $ 
