NESTLINGS OF FOREST AND MARSH 
once to look back over his shoulder, as it 
were. It was a most comical exit, and de- 
served the applause we dared not give. 
Many times have we sought to solve the 
mystery of the marsh music, but always with 
small success, and our next adventure with 
the rails was in our own dooryard at Evans- 
ton. Looking out of my library window 
one September morning, I saw my small 
kitten driving a young rail before her by 
cuffing it gently, first with one paw and then 
with the other. The bird made no attempt 
to escape, but soon turned, faced the kitten, 
and, lying down on its back, fought with 
both feet and bill. The effect was as ridicu- 
lous as if a small boy should turn at bay 
and make faces at a tormenting bully, and 
surprised the kitten into a momentary cessa- 
tion of the play, —for such it was, without 
any idea of catching the bird. The latter 
allowed me to pick it up, and appeared nei- 
ther exhausted nor frightened. It was an 
immature specimen, and became tame at 
once. In order to have even a moderately 
142 
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