324 RAIL-SHOOTING. 



the Connecticut, and the rapid reports will continue 

 to reverberate over the reedy marshes. 



There are two varieties, the short-billed or sora- 

 rail, rallus CaroUnus ; and the long-billed, or Vir- 

 ginia rail, rallus Virginianus^ which are easily dis- 

 tinguished by this peculiarity, and differ, also, 

 slightly in plumage. The sora-rail are by far the 

 most numerous, especially along the sea-coast, and 

 are usually referred to as " the rail," but both are 

 shot and eaten indiscriminately. Their habits, mode 

 of flight, and gastronomic qualities, nppear to be 

 identical, but I think the Virginia rail are propor- 

 tionally more numerous at the West, having a 

 slight preference, perhaps, for the fresh water. 

 Their food must be, however, essentially different ; 

 for while the sura, on account of its short bill, must 

 be confined to the seeds of its favorite reed, zimosa, 

 or the grains of the wild oats, the Virginia rail, with 

 its longer bill, also draws much of its nourishment 

 from snails and aquatic insects, and is considered by 

 some less delicate in flavor than the former variety. 



About the fifth of September, before the English 

 snipe are numerous, although their taunting "scalp" 

 may be occasionally heard on their broad, open 

 feeding-grounds ; ere the ducks have marshalled 

 their legions in retreat from the chilly blasts of the 

 north, after the bay-birds, with the exception of the 

 " short-neck," shall have mainly passed to the south* 

 ward, and before the quail are large enough to kill — 

 the sportsman arms himself with his breech-loader, 

 and dri\ iiio' to Hackensack or takino: steamboat from 



