King Rail 303 



times with a stout stick, but the devoted mother bird 

 only ruffled her feathers and crouched lower over her 

 treasures. How I admired the handsome little creature 

 as she thus persistently waited to share the fate of her 

 household! When I inserted my finger into the cavity, she 

 only moved slightly to either side; and she finally sufl'ered 

 me to remove her gently from her eggs, darting swiftly 

 away when I released her in the open air. After my exam- 

 ination of the premises during the ordinary remonstrances 

 of the owners, I withdrew a short distance to watch their 

 actions. Soon the mother bird alighted and clung to the 

 entrance, peering into the cavity. Seeing her home as she 

 left it, she popped into the recess and took her station upon 

 the eggs, while the male sat on a near perch and repeated his 

 ringing melody. Truly the acquaintance of such a happy 

 woodland family will compensate any upland observer for 

 his efforts to form it. 



The ringing chant of the prothonotary warbler is heard, 

 though with less frequency and spontaneity, through July 

 and in early August. The warbler becomes more se- 

 cluded through the moulting season, again resorting to the 

 tree-tops, as it did immediately after its spring advent, 

 and shows little of the active spirit which is its chief 

 charm in the mating season. In its solitary mood it does 

 not care to sport with its companions, as it did in the early 

 days of vivacious rivalry, to all appearances procuring its 

 livelihood with quiet demeanor until its annual southward 

 movement. The time of its departure varies from the 

 latter part of August to the first week of September. 



KING EAIL. 



There are some birds which are found only locally 

 throughout their habitat in particular regions which sup- 

 ply the conditions necessary to their peculiar habits. The 

 charming species last sketched is a fair example of the 

 birds whose residence depends upon certain favorable con- 

 ditions, and the king rail likewise makes its home only in 

 particular environments. It is a typical bird of the swamp- 

 lake, and only in its weedy resorts can it be observed 



