RAIL. 38r 



may always be distinguished by their ashy blue breasts, and black 

 throats. 



During the greater part of the months of September and October, 

 the market of Philadelphia is abundantly supplied -with Rail, Avhich arc 

 sold from half a dollar to a dollar a dozen. Soon after the twentieth 

 of October, at which time our first smart frosts generally take place, 

 these birds move off to the south. In Virginia they usually remain 

 until the first week in November. 



Since the above was written, I have received from Mr. George Ord, 

 of Philadelphia, some curious particulars relative to this bird, which, 

 as they are new, and come from a gentleman of respectability, are 

 worthy of being recorded, and merit further investigation. 



"My personal experience," says Mr. Ord, "has made me acquainted 

 with a fact in the history of the Rail, which perhaps is not generally 

 known ; and I shall, as briefly as possible, communicate it to you. 

 Some time in the autumn of the year 1809, as I was Avalking in a yard, 

 after a severe shower of rain, I perceived the feet of a bird projecting 

 from a spout. I pulled it out, and discovered it to be a Rail, very 

 vigorous, and in perfect health. The bird was placed in a small room, 

 on a gin-case ; and I was amusing myself with it, when, in the act of 

 pointing my finger at it, it suddenly sprang forward, apparently much 

 irritated, fell to the floor, and stretching out its feet, and bending its 

 neck, until the head nearly touched the back, became to all appearance 

 lifeless. Thinking the fall had killed the bird, I took it up, and began 

 to lament my rashness in provoking it. In a few minutes it again 

 breathed ; and it was some time before it perfectly recovered from the 

 fit, into which, it now appeared evident, it had fallen. I placed the 

 Rail in a room, wherein Canary birds were confined ; and resolved that, 

 on the succeeding day, I would endeavor to discover whether or not 

 the passion of anger had produced the fit. I entered the room at the 

 appointed time, and approached tbe bird, which had retired on beholding 

 me, in a sullen humor, to a corner. On pointing my finger at it, its 

 feathers were immediately rufiled ; and in an instant it sprang forward, 

 as in the first instance, and fell into a similar fit. The following day 

 the experiment was repeated, with the like effect. In the autumn of 

 1811, as I was shooting amongst the reeds, I perceived a Rail rise but 

 a few feet before my batteau. The bird had risen about a yard when 

 it became entangled in the tops of a small bunch of reeds, and immedi- 

 ately fell. Its feet and neck were extended, as in the instances above 

 mentioned ; and before it had time to recover, I killed it. Some few 

 days afterwards, as a friend and I were shooting in the same place, lie 

 killed a Rail, and, as we approached the spot to pick it up, another was 

 perceived, not a foot off, in a fit. I took up the bird, and placed it in 

 the crown of my hat. In a few moments it revived, and was as vigorous 



