RAIL SHOOTING. 129 



insects sport among the leaves of the reeds; 

 minks and musk-rats prowl among the interlac- 

 ing roots at low water ; the large, golden-eyed 

 frog and the snapper crawl upon the ooze ; fish 

 swarm among the stalks on the flood ; the soli- 

 tary bittern roosts all day upon the higher por- 

 tions of the flat; the marsh-wren binds its 

 curious nest to the stalks, far above the dash 

 of the stormiest tides ; the restless swallow darts 

 to and fro in pursuit of gnats and flies, or pauses 

 to perch on the fragile sprays of the panicle, 

 which its weight bows in the gale ; woodcock 

 and snipe are found in " the cripples" and upon 

 " the drifts ;" red-winged black-birds, rice-bunt- 

 ings, teal, mallard and other marsh ducks, feed 

 upon the farinaceous seeds ; and here, above 

 all, millions of the Carolina rail, or little 

 American water hen, for ^several weeks find 

 a rich repast, on their annual migration to the 

 south. 



The mystery which once hung over the 

 migratory movements of the whole genus, to 

 which the bird under consideration belongs, has 

 long been dispelled by the researches of the 

 ornithologist, and now only exists in the minds 

 of those who, from want of inclination or capa- 

 city, are cut off from the use of books. 



