The Yellow Rail 
“On the way we found a belated nest of Cinnamon Teal, n 9, and in 
a central tide patch a solitary nest, n/4, of the Yellow-headed Blackbird. 
Wilson Phalaropes were hooting at us; and a persistent search for eggs of 
this species yielded such good returns that we decided to return to our 
abandoned camp for lunch, and to put in the afternoon with a drag rope. 
Accordingly, we re-entered the swamp at two o’clock. Stevens and our 
old-time mascot, Robert Canterbury (now 19), manned the rope; while 
1 floundered along behind, marking the rare irruptions of startled nesters. 
A nest of the Savannah Sparrow, n/5, with fresh eggs, very light in colora¬ 
tion, was the first find; and a Sora Rail’s nest with only two eggs, ap¬ 
parently incubated, the second. 
“We were dragging a rather thin stretch of marsh grass when a Jack 
Snipe flushed and I called Stevens to my assistance, leaving Bobby, who 
was more remote, standingly listlessly by his rope-end. Returning from 
a fruitless quest, we were about to resume operations when Bobby ex¬ 
claimed, ‘Well, look at this!’ He had been standing all the while within 
Taken in North Dakota Photo by Rev. P. B. Peabody 
n/9 YELLOW RAIL, A TYPICALLY MARKED SET 
T 547 
