FRIENDS IN FEATHERS 



She had chosen her location on a small hummock, far out in a 

 deep pool; so few inches above the water that while brooding 

 she could take a drink without rising. The erection of her 

 palace evidently had been simplicity itself. She had snipped this 

 year's green grass from her location, sat down on the old dead, 

 dry blades, and repeatedly turned around. Then she had 

 gathered the ends she had broken off, dropped them under her 

 and worked them down with her feet. This gave her a large, 

 flat, bowl-shaped nest of beautiful shades of tan, yellow and 

 brown dried grass. The finishing touch was to catch the long 

 rank-growing blades above her head, draw them together and 

 weave them into an arch of living green. 



Through its sides the brooding Rail could be seen. She was a 

 large, splendid specimen of her species, her plumage a bright 

 beautiful brown, with little V-shaped markings of white over her 

 back and touches of black on the wings, in the shape of black 

 feathers twice banded with white. The top of her head was a 

 smooth even brown having ash-coloured streaks above the eyes. 

 Her throat was paler ash. Later I saw that her legs were slender, 

 smooth, a light greenish yellow, and her feet graceful, with slim toes 

 ending in sharp black nails. Her beak was elegant in its sym- 

 metrical curve, with hints of red and yellow at the base, daintily 

 cut nostrils and rich ivory tip. But loveliest of all were her big, 

 wise, wonderful eyes, as she sat motionless, steadily regarding me. 

 As I returned her fearless gaze the thought came to me, that 

 if the King Rail earned his royalty by personally conducting 

 the migratory voyages of the Quail, as he was accredited with 

 having done at the time of his coronation in early France, his 

 mate undoubtedly was worthy of equal honours; for she was 

 graceful and lovely, having a heart that was unafraid, as royal 

 hearts ever should be. Straightway I named her the "Queen," 

 and our friendship began. 



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