1 70 Sporting Sketches 



stiffens, topples over, and apparently expires. It 

 may be taken up and examined for a considerable 

 time without its betraying any signs of life. Place 

 it among its dead fellows in the shooting-boat, and 

 after a longer or shorter interval it may astonish its 

 captor by either starting to run about, or by taking 

 wing and fluttering away in the characteristic flight. 

 Many sportsmen have noted this curious action and 

 have naturally supposed that the stricken bird had 

 been hit by a pellet of shot, and later had revived 

 enough to take care of itself. This, however, is 

 incorrect, as the bird really undergoes some peculiar 

 attack, from which it will entirely recover if granted 

 the opportunity. I have seen a rail crouched in 

 meadow grass suddenly stiffen, when the only 

 apparent cause was the sound of my boot rustling 

 the herbage. Others have spoken of having at- 

 tempted to pick up a skulking bird, which to their 

 astonishment stretched out and seemingly expired 

 as the hand was extended toward it. 



I do not pretend to understand the matter, but 

 it possibly may be explained in this way. In many 

 of the rails haunts are snakes quite large enough to 

 swallow a full-grown bird. The rail's mouse-like 

 habit of running through the grass may subject it to 

 attack by these snakes. A rustling in the grass 

 may suggest the presence of a big snake, as anything 

 pointed at the rail may resemble, to timid eyes, the 

 reptile about to strike. Those who dispute the 

 snake's power to paralyze or " charm " its victim 

 may scoff at this theory, but then those who dis- 

 pute the snake's power are wrong in their own con- 

 tention. The snake has the power and has exercised 



