

94 On the Migration of North American Birds. - 



following the opening of spring, may raise a second brood in the 

 more northern climates. 



The Rail, (or Soree as it is called in Virginia) and the swallows have 

 occasioned more speculations and created more superstitious ideas 

 with regard to their winter residence than any other of our American 

 birds. The erroneous opinions with regard to the Rail have proba- 

 bly arisen from the sudden manner in which it appears and disappears 

 in the middle states, and the unphilosophical notions, with regard to 

 the swallows have originated in Europe and from thence been trans- 

 mitted to our country. 



Rails, after having been absent during the whole summer from 

 the middle States, suddenly make their appearance early in August 

 in immense numbers along the Delaware, Schuylkill and James riv- 

 ers. In a single night, their clamorous voices are heard in tens of 

 thousands, on those reedy shores, where but the day before not one 

 could be found. Here they remain till about the middle of October, 

 when suddenly their well known cackle ceases and in the 'places 

 where the day before many hundreds were seen, not a solitary one 

 remains. They seem so heavy of flight that they are sometimes 

 taken by hand and hence the oft repeated inquiry whence come and 

 whither goes the Soree. Many believe that these birds, are scarce- 

 ly capable of flight, and must find some retreat in hollow banks or 

 perhaps under the ice or mud. The truth is they migrate alto- 

 gether by night, and like the Woodcock, and other kindred species, 

 fly admirably in twilight or in the dark. They breed very far north. 

 An intelligent Indian trader informed me that he had found great 

 numbers of their nests, whilst hunting for the egg of the wild goose, 

 (Anscr Canadensis,) along the reedy marshes of the most northern 

 lakes. It is not generally known that when they leave the middle 

 states, they appear in the rice fields and marshes of Carolina, where 

 they remain a short time, before they migrate, still farther south and 

 in the spring again visit us, as they are passing on to their northern 

 breeding places. There is then nothing in the migrations of the 

 Rail that cannot be accounted for on the principles of nature. 



All the absurd theories with regard to the hibernation of Swallows 

 have originated from the habits of a few species common to our 



country and to Europe. 



(i* 



do rustica,) resembling our barn swallow, (Hirundo rufa,) in every 

 thing but its habits of building in chimnies so perfectly, that they 

 cannot be distinguished from each other, and the bank swallow, 



