92 



Cahn, Food Habits of the Virginia Rail. 



[Auk 

 LJan. 



sand floor covered with moss, in which a dish of water was sunk, 

 and in one corner a clump of growing ferns was located to afford 

 the bird shelter when desired. This cage was then placed on 

 exhibition in the entrance hall of the Biology building, where 

 hundreds of persons passed it daily. In this situation the rail grew 

 remarkably tame, and was apparently far more contented when 

 surrounded by noisy students than when left alone. The pres- 

 ence of people was evidently associated with the idea of food, 

 for which it was constantly on the look-out. So tame did the bird 

 become that after two days it was allowed to fly out of the cage and 

 feed from the hand. The rail was on exhibition under these condi- 

 tions from 8 to 5 :30 o'clock daily from November 2 to 9, inclusive, 

 and it was during this period that a careful record was kept of its 

 food, as shown in Table 1. 



TABLE 1. 



What proved to be perhaps the most interesting part of the food 

 habits was the descrimination shown in the manipulation of the 



