120 THE. CONDOR Vol. XIV

Eight eggs appeared to be the average set of the Virginia Rail although the set of eleven eggs was found. On the other hand we encountered several birds incubating very small sets. Two or three sets of three and four incubated eggs were examined: and one persistent bird, found with a nest containing one egg on May 18, 1907, was visited weekly and was still brooding the single egg three weeks later, on June 8. The young rails leave the nest very soon after hatchiug and are quite noisy. Several youug Virginias examined were covered with coarse jet black down. The Sora sets averaged somewhat larger. sets of ten and eleven being com- mon, and two sets numbering thirteen hnd fourteen eggs respectively were fouml. In many instances one or more eggs from a nest would be found on the ground near the nest. whether displaced intentionally or accidentally by-the parent we could not discover. The average date for fresh eggs of the Soras was aout Fig. 47. TYPICAL NEST, EGG AND YOUNG OF COOT June 15 and we found that ,nany of the sets hatched about July first; but the Virginias were fully a month earlier. One hail-grown young Virginia was found June 15. 1907, aud a week later the rushes abounded with thein. One belated set of seven fresh eggs was found July 6. Data is accumulating steadily, that will eventually place the 'irgSnia Rail definitely among regular Colorado w{nter residents. Fulica americana. CooT. Second only to the Yellow-headed Blackbirds in numbers come the Coots Every lake and pond was alive with thein, and literally thousauds of these birds are hatched every year along the Bart chain. The nesting season extends through May, June and July. Our earliest complete set was found April 27, the first egg of which must have been laid April 18. This set hatched May 11. Nests with eggs were seen as late as July 21, and immature birds were much in evi-