King Rdil. 305 



the reeds almost under one's feet, and it can thread its 

 way through the stems in places which appear impassable 

 even to its slender body. However, it is not compelled to 

 walk in the mud and through the water to get to its habi- 

 tation in the deeper water, for it has large feet and long 

 toes, with which it can walk upon the bent reed stems and 

 submerged vegetation. I have seen it run over the float- 

 ing " punkin vines " as easily and firmly as though it were 

 on dry ground. I am certain I should not attempt to run 

 one down in its watery kingdom, for it can sprint like a 

 young turkey, and is so thoroughly familiar with its 

 swampy resorts that we conceive its perfect adaptation to 

 its surroundings. It is amusing to watch the game of 

 " hide-and-seek " it plays with a self-conceited dog that is 

 not versed in the baffling ways of the king rail. After 

 many settings and pointings at the elusive sprite of the 

 reeds, the dog will finally give up in a manner that plainly 

 says •' sour grapes," and thereafter pay no attention to the 

 presence of this creature, if he be a dog that can learn by 

 experience. 



Sometimes the king rail will start up in hasty flight 

 when quickly approached or surprised, especially when it 

 is on the migration, and before it is comfortably settled in 

 its summer home. Frequently, when it reaches its resorts, 

 the high water and the absence of the later tall growth 

 of reeds compel it to depend more on its powers of flight 

 to escape danger than upon its ability to run and hide in 

 its reedy coverts. When it is surprised and flushed under 

 circumstances which are not favorable to its hiding, it 

 starts up with a somewhat labored movement, beating the 

 air with rapid strokes, and dangling its long legs like the 

 herons and bitterns as they spring into the air. Its wings 

 seem rather short compared with its body, and as it has a 

 short tail, its first movements in flight seem aimless and 

 unbalanced, but when it is well under way it flies steadily 

 and strongly. When in full flight its body appears unusu- 

 ally long, because it stretches forward its head and neck, 

 and protudes its legs behind its body. Like the bitterns^ 

 it drops abruptly at the end of its short flights, and imme- 

 diately runs through the reeds from its alighting place, 

 on which account it is diflicult to flush a second time 

 20 



