RAIL-SHOOTING. 201 
the Connecticut, and the rapid reports will continue 
to reverberate over the reedy marshes. - 
There are two varieties, the short-billed or sora- 
rail, rallus Carolinus ; and the long-billed, or Vir- 
ginia rail,-rallus Virginianus, which are easily dis- 
tinguished by this peculiarity, and differ, also, 
slightly in plumage. The sora-rail are by far the 
most numerous, especially along the sea-coast, and 
are usually referred to as “the rail,” but both are 
shot and eaten indiscriminately. Their habits, mode 
of flight, and gastronomic qualities, appear to be 
identical, but I think the Virginia rail are propor- 
tionally more numerous at the West, having a 
slight preference, perhaps, for the fresh water. 
Their food must be, however, essentially different ; 
for while the sora, on account of its short bill, must 
be confined to the seeds of its favorite reed, zimosa, 
or the grains of the wild oats, the Virginia rail, with 
its longer bill, also draws much of its nourishment 
from snails and aquatic insects, and is considered by 
some less delicate in flavor than the former variety. 
About the fifth of September, before the English 
snipe are numerous, although their taunting “scaip” 
may be occasionally heard on their broad, open 
feeding-grounds; ere the ducks have marshalled 
their legions in retreat from the chilly blasts of the 
north, after the bay-birds, with the exception of the 
“¢ short-neck,” shall have mainly passed to the south- 
ward, and before the quail are large enough to kill— 
the sportsman arms himself with his breech-loader, 
and driving to Hackensack or taking steamboat from 
Q* 
