SHOKE AND MARSH BIRDS. Rails 



Note : A gentle "peet-weet — peet-weet ! " 

 Season : Common summer resident. 

 Breeds : Throughout temperate North America. 

 Nest and ^ggs : Resembling last species. 



Bange: North and South America, south to Brazil. Occasional in 

 Europe. 



This is the familiar little bird of roadside brooks and 

 moist meadows, where the marsh marigold of spring is 

 followed by the cardinal flower and gentian of autumn. 

 To me it is indelibly associated with gentian meadows, for 

 the first time that I ever throughly identified it I was 

 balancing on a big grass hummock, wondering if I could 

 step across a particularly deceitful looking bit of water, half 

 ditch, half sluggish stream, to secure a plant of blue fringed 

 gentian that branched like a magnificent candelabra with 

 cups of lapis lazuli; — and this Sandpiper flew from an 

 opposite tussock and gave its plaintive cry. Seeing that I 

 did not stir, it walked unconsciously along the edge of the 

 ditch, mincing and balancing in a curious way, jerking 

 its body in see-saw fashion, which has given it the name 

 of " Teeter." Every few minutes it flew to the grass, whis- 

 pering to itself as it fed. 



The Spotted Sandpiper possesses all the delicacy and 

 beauty of a Song-bird, and it seems as much an act of cruelty 

 to hunt it down for sport as if it was a Thrush or Oriole. 

 It does not live in flocks. 



ORDER PALUDICOLJE: CRANES, RAILS, ETC. 



FAMILY RALLID^: RAILS, GALLINULES, COOTS. 

 Clapper Rail: Mallus longirostris crepitans. 



Salt-water Marsh Hen. 



Length : 14-16 inches. 



Male and Female : General colouring sand-gray, with no reddish tinge. 



Above variegated ash and olive-brown ; no decided mottlings. 



Below, yellowish brown whitening on the throat; wings and 



tail dull brown. Bill longer than the head and yellowish 



brown ; feet the same colour. 

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