CHAPTER XVL 



RAILS. 



Their haunts and habits — Charges for a gun — Method of shooting rails 

 — Big bags. 



The rails enjoy greater immunity from the guns ol 

 sportsmen than any other birds on the Continent consid- 

 ered fit for the table. One cause for this is the fact that 

 they make their habitat in wet meadows and marshes, 

 where it is difficult to reach them without the aid of 

 boats, and that they migrate during the night only, on 

 account of the shortness of their wings, which prevents 

 them from making long flights. Their bright eyes, 

 graceful forms, short, upright tails, active movements, 

 jaunty carriage, and innocent inquisitiveness render them 

 interesting to lovers of birds, while their delicacy of flesh 

 makes them equally so to an epicure. They are fleet of 

 foot, gregarious, and fond of indulging in social gossip 

 when they feel themselves safe, but they relapse into si- 

 lence- the moment a foe appears. They will approach to 

 within a few feet of a man if he stands still, but the least 

 perceptible movement on his part will send them scamjjer- 

 ing away. That they are not so frightened as they pre- 

 tend is evident, however, from the readiness with which 

 they reappear, and slyly peep at the intruder if he keeps 

 quiet. They utter a shrill cry which is easily imitated, 

 and to which they are always ready to respond, both by 

 voice and presence, for they rush out of concealment on 

 hearing it. They prefer to use their legs to their wings 

 m escaping a threatened danger, but, if wounded, they 

 resort to diving and swimming under water, or to hiding 

 in the grass or sedges until they are almost run over. 

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