510 BIRDS—RALLIDAZ. 
_ Coloration exactly asin elegans of which itis a perfect miniature. Length, 84-103; 
wing about 4; tail about 14; bill, 14-13; tarsus, it-14; middle toe; 14-14. 
Habitat, United States and British Provinces. Winters in the Southern States and 
beyond. South to Guatemala. Cuba. 
Common summer resident, most abundant during the migrations. This 
and the Carolina Rail are the common species. Of the two, the Virginia 
Rail is the most retiring and least numerous. It is found in all ex- 
tensive swamps and marshes of the State and breeds from Central Ohio 
northward to the lakes. It is given as a migrant only, in the vicinity 
of Cincinnati, by Mr. Langdon. 
Eggs 1.25 by .95, similar to those of the preceeding species. 
GENUS PORZANA. Vieillot. 
Bill shorter than the head, stout and straight. 
PoRZANA CAROLINA (L.) Cab. 
Carolina Rail; Sora; Ortolan. 
Rallus carolinus, KIRTLAND, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1832, 165, 185. 
Porzana carolina, WHEATON, Field Notes, i, 1861, 153; Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1860, 369, 378; 
Reprint, 1861,11, 20; Food of Birds, ete, Ohio Agric. Kep. for 1874, 573; Reprint, 
1875, 13.—LanGbon, Cat. Birds of Cin,, 1877, 16; Revised List, Journ. Cin. Soc. 
Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 184; Reprint, 18; Sammer Birds, ib., iii, 1880, 227.—Dury and 
FREEMAN, ib, ili, 1880, 104; Reprint, 5. 
Rallus carolinus, LINNAUS, Syst. Nat., i, 1766, 263. 
Porzana carolina, CABANIS, Journ., 1856, 422. 
Ahove, olive-brown, varied with black, with numerous sharp white streaks and specks; 
flanks, axillara and lining of wings, barred with white axd blackish; belly whitish; 
crissum rofescent. Adalt with the face and central line of the throat black, the rest of 
the threat, line over eye, and especially the breast mere or less intensely slate-gray, the 
sides of the breast usually with some obsolete whitish barring and speckling; young 
without the black, the throat whitish, the breast brown. Length, 8-9; wing, 4-44; tail, 
about 2; bill, 3-2; tarsus, 14; middle toe and claw, | 4. 
Habitat, entire temperate North America; especially abundant along the Atlantie 
coast during the migrations. Breeds from the Middle diatricts northward. Winters in 
the Southern States and beyond. South to Venezuela. Various West Indian Islands. 
Greenland. Accidental in Europe. 
Abundant spring and fall migrant in April, October and November, 
and common summer resident, breeding in suitable locations throughout 
the State. 
This is the most abundant species of the family with us, and, especially 
on tide-water, isa highly esteemed game bird. In epring it is often found 
in quite exposed localities, such as the borders of brooks and ponds. In 
the fail they are much more numerous and frequent high weeds on the 
