Identifier: birdcraftfield00wrig (find matches)
Title: Birdcraft : a field book of two hundred song, game, and water birds
Year: 1897 (1890s)
Authors: Wright, Mabel Osgood, 1859-1934 Fuertes, Louis Agassiz, 1874-1927
Subjects: Birds -- United States
Publisher: New York : Macmillan Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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crepitating, clattering — from the extra lengthof its bill and the incessant noise that it makes, especiallyin the breeding-season. These Kails have a most ludicrousgait, tipping forward as they run. Virginia Bail: JRallus virginianus, Plate 67. Fig. 2. Length: variable, 8.50-10.50 inches. Male and Female: General tone streaky and reddish. Above darkbrown plainly streaked with olive, a white line from the billextending over the eye. Throat white. Below bright reddish ;wings dark brown; coverts chestnut; tail dark brown barredwith white. Season : A common summer resident, breeding on the salt-marshes.Sometimes winters. Breeds: Northward from Pennsylvania. Nest: A slight mat of grasses in a clump of reeds near water,usually in an inaccessible place. Eggs: 6-8, resembling those of the last species. Mange: North America, from the British Provinces south to Guate-mala. A very pretty species, having a general ruddy tint andbeing abundant both in fresh and salt marshes. It is 246 PLATE 67.
Text Appearing After Image:
1. WILSONS SNIPE.Length, 10.50-11.50 inches. 2. VIRGINIA RAIL. Length, 8.50-10.50 inches. SHORE AND MARSH BIRDS. RaUa known locally as the Little Ked Kail and is a perfect copy,in miniature, of the King Rail, which only visits uscasually, but is well kno^vn from the Middle States south-ward. The Virginia Rail is very shy and will always hide,if possible, instead of flying, and it has the faculty of run-ning across water upon a few floating sticks and bits of litter.Dr. Coues, in his Birds of the Northwest, in describinga night scene in Arizona near the Mojave River, where hesuffered many hardships, speaks of the haunts of the Railthus: At nightfall some Mallard and Teal settled into therushes, gabbling curious vespers as they went to rest. Afew Marsh Wrens appeared on the edge of the reeds,queerly balancing themselves on the thread-like leaves, see-sawing to their own quaint music. Then they were hushed,and as darkness settled down, the dull, heavy croaking ofthe frogs played bass to

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