A^IRGINIAN RAIL. 370 



netrable quagmire, and was composed altogether of old wet grass and 

 rushes. The eggs had been floated out of the nest by the extraordinary 

 rise of the tide, in a violent north-east storm, and lay scattered about 

 among the drift-weed. The female, however, still lingered near the 

 spot, to which she was so attached, as to suffer herself to be taken by 

 hand. She doubtless intended to repair her nest, and commence laying 

 anew ; as, during the few hours that she was in our possession, she laid 

 one egg, corresponding in all respects with the others. On examining 

 those floated out of the nest, they contained young, perfectly formed 

 but dead. The usual number of eggs is from six to ten. They are 

 shaped like those of the domestic hen, measuring one inch and two- 

 tenths long, by very nearly half an inch in width, and are of a dirty 

 white, or pale cream color, sprinkled with specks of red4ish, and pale 

 purple, most numerous near the great end. They commence laying 

 early in May, and probably raise two broods in the season. I suspect 

 this from the circumstance of Mr. Ord having, late in the month of 

 July, brought me several young ones, of only a few days old, which 

 ■were caught among the grass, near the border of the Delaware. The 

 parent Rail showed great solicitude for their safety. They were 

 wholly black, except a white spot on the bill ; were covered with a fine 

 down, and had a soft piping note. In the month of June, of the 

 same year, another pair of these birds began to breed amidst a boggy 

 spring in one of Mr. Bartram's meadows ; but were unfortunately 

 destroyed. 



The Virginian Rail is migratory, never wintering in the Northern or 

 Middle States. It makes its first appearance in Pennsylvania early in 

 May ; and leaves_ the country on the first smart frosts generally in 

 November. I have no doubt but many of them linger in the low woods, 

 and marshes, of the Southern States, during winter. 



This species is ten inches long, and fourteen inches in extent; bill 

 dusky red ; cheeks and stripe over the eye ash, over the lores, and at 

 the lower eyelid, white ; iris of the eye red ; crown and whole upper 

 parts black, streaked with brown, the centre of each feather being 

 black ; wing-coverts hazel brown, inclining to chestnut ; quills plain 

 deep dusky ; chin white ; throat, breast and belly, orange brown ; 

 sides and vent black, tipped with white ; legs and feet dull red brown ; 

 edffe of the bend of the wing white. 



The female is about half an inch shorter, and difiiers from the male 

 in having the breast much paler, not of so bright a reddish brown ; 

 there is also more white on the chin and throat. 



When seen, which is very rarely, these birds stand or run with the 

 tail erect, which they frequently jerk upwards. They fly with the legs 

 hanging, generally but a short distance ; and the moment they alight, 

 run ofi" with great speed. 



