178 GAME BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA.' 



over the eyes, and especially breast, slaty or bluish grey. This is 

 the most common and universally known of all the RallidcB ; later 

 in this account M^e shall describe the manner of its pursuit. 



Porzana noveboracensis. — Cassin. Yellow-breasted Rail. Little Yellow Rail. 



Above varied with blackish and ochre-brown, thickly marked 

 with narrow white semicircles and transverse bars, below, pale 

 yellowish-brown fading on the belly, deepest on breast, flanks dark 

 with numerous white bars, small, about six inches in length. This 

 little bird is not supposed to be a common species ; confined to 

 Eastern North America. On account of its secluded habits and 

 extreme dislike to take wing, they are very rarely secured. 



We were fortunate enough a year since, during the month of 

 October, to make some observations on the habits of P. 7tovebora- 

 censts which deserve to be briefly noticed. While working a young 

 puppy on snipe over a wet meadow, we were somewhat annoyed 

 by the dog's often making what we supposed false points. We 

 were unable to start any birds from before him, and several times 

 called him away, supposing that he was standing on the scent of 

 a bird that had recently been there. At length, however, the dog 

 was seen, after standing for a moment, to reach down and grasp 

 at something in the grass before him, and immediately afterwards 

 a small Rail rose and flew a short distance. Recognizing it as a 

 Rail, and seeing that it was very different from anything which we 

 are accustomed to see in this vicinity, we shot the specimen, and 

 when it was retrieved were surprised and pleased to find that it 

 was a Yellow-breasted Rail. 



Subsequent examination of the meadows proved that the 

 species was quite common, and we did no small injury to our dog's 

 training by allowing him to hunt the birds after his own method. 

 The little creatures were astonishingly tame, and would hide 

 among the bogs on the meadow, or creep into holes in the ground, 

 from which the dog would draw them forth in his mouth. We 

 caught one in our hands, and killed another with a dog whip. A 

 third flew against the legs of one of the party, and then dropped 

 down into the grass again. In all, about a dozen specimens (of 

 which nine were p^eserved) were taken in an hour or two, and no 

 doubt had more time been at our command, this number might 



