. CLAPPER RAIL. 105 



bodies of the females, who had perished on or near 

 their nests, were strewed along the shore. This last 

 circumstance proves how strong the ties of maternal 

 affection is in these birds ; for of the great numbers 

 which I picked up and opened, not one male was to be 

 found among them ; all were females ! Such as had 

 not yet begun to sit probably escaped. These disasters 

 do not prevent the survivors from recommencing the 

 work of laying and building anew ; and instances have 

 occurred where their eggs have been twice destroyed 

 by the sea ; and yet in two weeks the eggs and nests 

 seemed as numerous as ever. 



The young of the clapper rail very much resemble 

 .those of the Virginian rail, except in being larger. On 

 the 10th of August, I examined one of these young 

 clapper rails, caught among the reeds in the Delaware, 

 and apparently about three weeks old ; it was covered 

 with black down, with the exception of a spot of white 

 on the auriculars, and a streak of the same along the 

 side of the breast, belly, and fore part of the thigh ; the 

 legs were of a blackish slate colour; and the bill was 

 marked with a spot of white near the point, and round 

 the nostril. These run with great facility among the 

 grass and reeds, and are taken with extreme difficulty. 



The whole defence of this species seems to be in the 

 nervous vigour of its limbs, and thin compressed form 

 of its body, by which it is enabled to pass bet \veen the 

 stalks of grass and reeds with great rapidity. There are 

 also every where among the salt marshes covered ways, 

 under the flat and matted grass, through which the 

 rail makes its way like a rat, without a possibility of 

 being seen. There is generally one or more of these 

 from its nest to the water edge, by which it may escape 

 unseen ; and sometimes, if closely pressed, it will dive 

 to the other .side of the pond, gut, or inlet, rising and 

 disappearing again with the silence and celerity of 

 thought. In smooth water it swims tolerably well, 

 but not fast ,- sitting high in the water, with its neck 

 erect, and striking with great rapidity. When on 

 shore, it runs with the neck extended, the tail erect, 



