1915 J Cahn, Food Habits of the Virginia Rail. 93 



various kinds of foods. In the case of the larger aquatic animals — 

 the sunfish, stickleback, bullhead, crayfish, Zaitha, and water- 

 scorpion — the victims were immediately removed from the water 

 and carried to the far end of the cage, where they were swallowed 

 entire. Once caught, they were never dropped, but were dextrously 

 juggled in the beak until the proper position for swallowing was 

 obtained. The bird apparently realized the danger of allowing a 

 captured fish to drop again into the water, and proceeded to elimi- 

 nate the possibility of escape by taking the victim as far as possible 

 from the water. It experienced no difficulty whatsoever in making 

 away with the sunfish and stickleback, and the bullheads went 

 down easily enough — with the exception of one which succeeded 

 in extending its pectoral spines at the moment of passing down the 

 narrow throat, and stuck fast. Strangulation might soon have 

 followed had not the fish been removed, as the bird was utterly 

 unable to dislodge it, although it made desperate efforts to shake 

 it out. The fish was removed with forceps, whereupon the bird 

 undaunted by its narrow escape, proceeded to make another, and 

 this time successful attack on the same fish! 



The crayfish, once caught, were pecked and shaken violently 

 until practically all the legs had been dislodged, and the victim, 

 thus rendered entirely helpless, was swallowed easily. After 

 disposing of the body, the bird proceeded to search out the isolated 

 legs, and sent them after the body. 



In the case of the smaller aquatic forms, the victims were swal- 

 lowed on the spot. The caddice-worms and snails (Physa gyrina) 

 were left untouched while in the case, the bird making no attempt 

 to swallow them, contenting itself with merely poking at them 

 whenever they moved. However, when the worms and snails 

 were removed from the cases, they were eaten greedily. Amphi- 

 pods were devoured as fast as they could be caught — which was 

 faster than they could be fed the bird — and seemed to be one of 

 the favorite foods. The rail showed remarkable skill in the capture 

 of these little animals, and almost never missed its aim. \ 



On the other hand, all non-aquatic forms were promptly brought 

 to the water and soused until soft and pliable enough to be swal- 

 lowed with ease. The larvse of the Isabella Tiger-moth (Pyr- 

 rharctia Isabella) which were large, well developed specimens, were 



