RAIL. 193 



that on his voyage from St. Domingo to Philadelphia, and more 

 than a hundred miles from the capes of the Delaware, one night 

 the man at the helm was alarmed by a sudden crash on deck, 

 that broke the glass in the binacle, and put out the light. On 

 examining into the cause, three Rail were found on deck, two 

 of which were killed on the spot, and the other died soon after. 

 The late bishop Madison, president of William and Mary col- 

 lege, Virginia, assured me, that a Mr. Skipwith, for some time 

 our consul in Europe, in his return to the United States, when 

 upwards of three hundred miles from the capes of the Chesa- 

 peake, several Rail or Soras, I think five or six, came on board, 

 and were caught by the people. Mr. Skipwith being well ac- 

 quainted with the bird, assured him that they were the very 

 same with those usually killed on James river. I have received 

 like assurances from several other gentlemen, and captains of 

 vessels, who have met with these birds between the main land 

 and the islands, so as to leave no doubt on my mind of the fact. 

 For, why should it be considered incredible that a bird which 

 can both swim and dive well, and at pleasure fly with great 

 rapidity, as I have myself frequently witnessed, should be in- 

 capable of migrating, like so many others, over extensive tracts 

 of land or sea? Inhabiting, as they do, the remote regions of 

 Hudson's Bay, where it is impossible they could subsist during 

 the rigors of their winter, they must either emigrate thence or 

 perish; and as the same places in Pennsylvania, which abound 

 with them in October are often laid under ice and snow during 

 the winter, it is as impossible that they could exist here in that 

 inclement season; Heaven has therefore given them, in common 

 with many others, certain prescience of these circumstances; 

 and judgment, as well as strength of flight, sufficient to seek 

 more genial climates, abounding with their suitable food. 



The Rail is nine inches long, and fourteen inches in extent; 

 bill yellow, blackish towards the point; lores, front, crowrr, 

 chin, and stripe down the throat, black; line over the eye, 

 cheeks and breast, fine light ash; sides of the crown, neck, and 

 upper parts generally, olive brown, streaked with black, and 



VOL. in. c c 



