254 Birds Every Child Should Know 



be able to see behind him quite as well as he 

 can look ahead; the streaks and bars of his 

 mottled russet-brown, gray and buff and black 

 upper parts being so laid on that he is in per- 

 fect harmony with the russet leaves, earth and 

 underbrush of his woodland home. When his 

 mate is sitting on her nest, the mimicry of her 

 surroundings is so perfect it is well-nigh im- 

 possible to find her. 



Sportsmen pursue both the woodcock and 

 Wilson's snipe relentlessly, but happily they 

 are no easy targets. Rising on short, stiff, 

 whistling wings they fly in a zig-zag, erratic 

 flight, and quickly drop to cover again, con- 

 tinually breaking the scent for a pursuing 

 dog. 



RAILS 



Rails are such shy, skulking hiders among 

 the tall marsh grasses that "every child" need 

 never hope to know them all ; but a few mem- 

 bers of the family that are both abundant and 

 noisy, may be readily recognised by their voices 

 alone. 



All rails prefer to escape from an intruder 

 through the sedges in well-worn runways rather 

 than trust their short, rounded wings to bear 

 them beyond danger ; and for forcing their way 

 through grassy jungles, their narrow-breasted, 



