CAROLINA RAIL. 119 



olive brown, streaked with black, and also with long 

 lines of pure white, the feathers being centred with 

 black on a brown olive ground, and edged with white ; 

 these touches of white are shorter near the shoulder of 

 the wing, lengthening as they descend ; wing, plain 

 olive brown ; tertials, streaked with black and long lines 

 of white ; tail, pointed, dusky olive brown, centred 

 with black ; the four middle feathers bordered for half 

 their length with lines of white; lower part of the 

 breast marked with semicircular lines of white on a 

 light ash ground ; belly, white ; sides under the wings, 

 deep olive, barred with black, white, and reddish buff; 

 vent, brownish buff; legs, feet, and naked part of the 

 thighs, yellowish green; exterior edge of the wing, 

 white ; eyes, reddish hazel. 



The females, and young of the first season, have the 

 throat white, the breast pale brown, and little or no 

 black on the head. The males may always be distin- 

 guished by their ashy blue breasts and black throats. 



During the greater part of the months of September 

 and October the market of Philadelphia is abundantly 

 supplied with rail, which are sold from half a dollar to 

 a dollar a dozen. Soon after the 20th of October, at 

 which time our first smart frosts generally take place, 

 these birds move off to the south. In Virginia they 

 usually remain until the first week in November. 



Since the above was written, I have received from 

 Mr George Ord of Philadelphia, some curious particulars 

 relative to this bird, which, as they are new, and come 

 from a gentleman of respectability, well known for his 

 dexterity at rail shooting, are worthy of being recorded, 

 and merit farther investigation. 



" My personal experience," says Mr Ord, " has made 

 me acquainted with a fact in the history of the rail, 

 which perhaps is not generally known, and I shall, as 

 briefly as possible, communicate it to you. Some time 

 in the autumn of the year 1809, as I was walking in a 

 yard, after a severe shower of rain, I perceived the feet 

 of a bird projecting from a spout. I pulled it out, and 



