found on the fresh waters from central California south, 

 but it is nowhere abundant. 



The black rail (Porzana jamaicensis) is another of 

 the smaller rails that are found on the fresh waters to 

 a limited extent. Both this and the last preceding one 

 are so small that they are seldom shot, though as an 

 article of food they are very delicate. 



THE SHORE BIRDS 



Order, LIMICOLAE 



The order Limicolae, which is composed of the shore 

 birds proper, is abundantly represented. They are seen 

 wading in the shallow waters, carefully watching for 

 worms, insects and other species of food upon which 

 they live, boring in the soft mud, scurrying in flocks 

 from place to place, or running along the beach as the 

 surf recedes, picking up the jetsam of the sea, then 

 taking wing or running back like a playful child to the 

 higher ground as the foaming crest of the next breaker 

 rushes up the sandy shingle. Or, as is the case of the 

 phalaropes and some others, they may be seen riding 

 lightly upon the restless billows far out at sea. Modest 

 in coloring and plain in plumage, the shore birds seem 

 to belong to the plebians of the avafauna, for they 

 are constant workers, always busy, always plying their 

 slender legs rapidly as they hurry from one spot to an- 

 other, never idle, never resting for a moment. 



Of the shore birds there are six families and twenty 

 genera represented on the Coast. Most of them are 

 quite abundant from Washington to Mexico on their 

 respective feeding grounds. 



THE WILSON, OR JACK SNIPE 



(Gallinago delicata) 



Of all the shore birds the jack snipe, English snipe 

 or Wilson snipe as it is variously called, is the most 

 highly prized as a table delicacy and furnishes the best 

 sport with the dog and gun. Uusually lying well for 

 the dog, erratic in its flight and quick on the wing, the 

 Wilson snipe is one of the most difficult birds to bring 

 to bag. It is not only erratic in its flight, but it is 

 erratic in its nature as well. One day it will be found 

 on a given feeding ground in abundance and on the 

 next not one is to be seen, while possibly the day fol- 

 lowing they are there again in great numbers. To this 

 uncertainty and the corkscrew flight, peculiar to it 

 110 



