° W14 J Simmons, The Louisiana Clamper Rail. 371 



when he visited that part of the marsh. He says that he went that 

 way at least a hundred times, and he does not think he ever crossed 

 without seeing from one to six Rails scuttle under the after part of 

 the schooner, which rested on the ground in the tall marsh grass. 



When the wind was high enough to keep the mosquitoes from 

 bothering, Mr. Pope would clamber on the deck of the schooner 

 and remain motionless till the Rails came out to resume their 

 feeding, which they would do in about five minutes, if he kept 

 perfectly still. 



Here I quote the following from his notes : " I knew their run- 

 ways leading under the schooner, and by watching these I could see 

 them creep out, very slowly and cautiously, turning their heads side 

 ways to look up. If I so much as flicked an eyelid, they would 

 dart back. Eventually, however, they became so tame that they 

 took little notice of my presence. 



"Some one has said that a Rail which is quite at ease is very 

 different in appearance from one that is frightened or at all nervous. 

 Here I had the chance of a life time to verify the above statement. 

 When filled with apprehension or frightened, the bird changes from 

 its normal plump form to one of slenderness, with lowered and 

 extended head, while the tail twitches or jerks with nervousness at 

 every step. At ease they assume easy graceful attitudes, with tail 

 at rest and slightly drooped." 



The game scent of the birds is not very strong. A bird dog 

 will * point ' them, but when the scent is once lost it is not easily 

 regained. 



Ask a hunter if he knows the marsh hen. He will tell you that it 

 is a bird " like a chicken, and when closely pursued it runs through 

 the marsh like a rat." 



From the 9th to the 27th of June, 1913, I was encamped at Sea- 

 brook, on the Bay shore in Harris County, and every day one or 

 more Rails were seen in a small marsh near the bay shore. On 

 one occasion I stood for some time with three companions and 

 watched one of these birds on the edge of the sedge; the bird was 

 standing on dry bare ground with the tall reeds at its back, and 

 seemed not at all shy as we stood there forty yards away watching 

 it. Finally one of the other campers threw a tomato can at 

 the Rail and it darted back into the marsh. 



