VIRGINIAN RAIL. 183 



are exactly similar to those of the common Rail, from which 

 genus, notwithstanding the difference of its bill, it ought not to 

 be separated. 



This bird is known to some of the inhabitants along the sea- 

 coast of New Jersey, by the name of Fresh-water Mud-hen, 

 this last being the common appellation of the Clapper Rail, which 

 the present species resembles in every thing but size. The epi- 

 thet Fresh-water, is given it because of its frequenting those 

 parts of the marsh only, where fresh water springs rise through 

 the bogs into the salt marshes. In these places it usually con- 

 structs its nest, one of which, through the active exertions of 

 my friend, Mr. Ord, while traversing with me the salt marshes 

 of Cape May, we had the good fortune to discover. It was built 

 in the bottom of a tuft of grass, in the midst of an almost impe- 

 netrable quagmire, and was composed altogether of old wet grass 

 and rushes. The eggs had been floated out of the nest by the 

 extraordinary rise of the tide, in a violent north-east storm, and 

 lay scattered about among the drift-weed. The female, how- 

 ever, still lingered near the spot, to which she was so attached, 

 as to suffer herself to be taken by hand. She doubtless intend- 

 ed to repair her nest, and commence laying anew; as, .during 

 the few hours that she was in our possession, she laid one egg, cor- 

 responding in all respects with the others. On examining those 

 floated out of the nest, they contained young, perfectly formed, 

 but dead. The usual number of eggs is from six to ten. They 

 are shaped like those of the domestic hen, measuring one inch 

 and two-tenths long, by very nearly half an inch in width, and 

 are of a dirty white, or pale cream colour, sprinkled with specks 

 of reddish, and pale purple, most numerous near the great end. 

 They commence laying early in May, and probably raise two 

 brood in the season. I suspect this from the circumstance of 

 Mr. Ord having, late in the month of July, brought me seve- 

 ral young ones, of only a few days old, which were caught among 

 the grass, near the border of the Delaware. The parent Rail 

 showed great solicitude for their safety. They where wholly 

 black, except a white spot on the bill; were covered with a fine 



