THE KING RAIL 225 



when at the last resort does he rise with 

 clumsy haste, his big feet dangling gracefully 

 below him, and flap heavily away, coming to the 

 ground again as soon as ever he can with safety 

 to seek a surer refuge in the grass. Yet in 

 spite of all this they must be capable of a long- 

 sustained flight, for they often cross large 

 bodies of water in their migrations. 



But whatever the case with their wings there 

 is never a suspicion of feebleness in their long, 

 muscular legs, and it is to these members that 

 they trust mostly for escape from danger. 

 They swim well at need, when their long-toed 

 feet are very serviceable as paddles. Under 

 water their wings are called to the aid of their 

 feet and they make rapid progress, only coming 

 up where they may put their heads out through 

 the drift stuff in safety. 



The King Rail, the largest and handsomest 

 of the family in North America, is a near rela- 

 tion of the clapper rail which is perhaps bet- 

 ter known, but the King Rail is dressed more 

 stylishly and in brighter colors. This bird 

 seems to prefer the fresh water, only rarely be- 

 ing taken on the marshes of the seacoast. He 

 is said to be even more of a stranger to New 



