抄録
Water Rails Rallus aquaticus breed in Hokkaido and northern Honshu, though there are few authenticated breeding records from Honshu. We obtained the following breeding data in Tochigi Prefecture, central Honshu. (1) An adult and a chick were seen in farmland at Senbonmatsu, Nishinasuno (alt. 320m) on 10 August 1982. Several chick calls were also heard. (2) Adults were heard calling on several occasions in marshes at Senjogahara, Nikko (alt. 1, 400m) from April to July in 1982, 1983 and 1984. An immature was observed on 27 September 1983. (3) A pair bred in marshes at Watarase-yusuichi, Fyjioka (alt. 10m) in 1984. The pair accompanied two chicks and two immatures in the summer. Also, an adult and an immature were seen separately at different points from the above in thee same marshes in the same year. The summer occurrence of the rail in this area was first noted on 16 July 1977.
