THE SOEA EAIL 233 



the spring tliey arrive here about May and 

 leave for their winter quarters soon after the 

 first sharp frosts, though I have known of their 

 staying here (Maine) until December twentieth 

 in a mild season. 



The Sora makes its nest of soft dry grasses 

 on a little hummock just above the high water 

 limit, and lays from four to six eggs, in color 

 a dull gray, splashed with brownish spots. The 

 young are covered with black down and are very 

 active almost from their arrival, running about 

 among the reeds like mice. From their retir- 

 ing habits and unobstrusive natures the rails 

 probably suffer less from hawks or other marsh 

 birds' enemies than do any of their neighbors. 



My best sport at rail-shooting has been dur- 

 ing the high tides on the full of the moon in 

 September, when the sea had filled all the nooks 

 and corners of the marsh and driven the birds 

 in from their resting places on the long grass 

 and hummocks scattered through it. When the 

 tide was up they took refuge along the edges — 

 up in the fields — in the brush-grown coves, 

 where, when they flushed among the alders it 

 was almost woodcocking — in fact, anywhere to 

 find cover. A good spaniel is the best four- 



