Rallus virginianus 
1892. Mas s . 
Aug. 14. Concord .- As I was paddling up the straight reach between the 
(NO. 2) Holt and Hunt's Pond a Virginia Rail began making a great outcry 
in the narrow belt of pickerel weed and wild rice on the right 
(N. ) bank uttering the ki-ki so rapidly and in such agonized 
tones that I at first supposed that the bird had been seized by 
a Weasel,. or Mink. On paddling to the spot, however, I quickly 
convinced 
became that this was not the case but that the bird was merely 
A 
alarmed for the safety of her young for she continued her cries 
with unabating vigor and moved continually from place to place. 
I failed to silence her either by striking the water with my pad 
die or by "s’pattering 1 . 1 I could see nothing for it was nearly 
dark at the time. At this close range (I got within ten or 
fifteen feet of the bird) the ki-ki had a peculiar vibrating or 
jarring undertone not unlike the cutta note of the Carolina Rail 
under similar conditions 
