212 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



water as soon as they leave the egg-shell, if necessary to 

 escape danger. The little ones are black, with a tuft of yellow 

 feathers on the throat and a red protuberance at the upper 

 base of the bill. Although this bird has the reputation of 

 being very shy, I have come upon a single bird occasionally, 

 while canoeing, in August, running along the muddy margin 

 of a river or resting upon the bank. In such a situation it is 

 easy to go very close to the bird without alarming it. Some- 

 times its curiosity is so strong that a small flock will surround 

 a recumbent duck hunter and even peck at his clothing; but 

 a sudden movement is enough to send them scampering into 

 the reeds. 



In September, when the wild rice is falling, these birds 

 gather in our marshes to feed upon it, and at that season a 

 stone thrown into the cat-tails or a paddle struck flat on the 

 surface of the water will often start a chorus of their cries. 

 I believe that individuals of this species have wonderful vocal 

 powers. One moonlit evening on the Concord River I was 

 entertained for more than an hour by a curious jumble of 

 sounds from the marshy border of the river, that could be 

 attributed only to this Rail. Many of the notes were recog- 

 nizable as belonging to the Sora, but there were imitations of 

 the Flicker, the Bob-white and several other species. It was 

 a performance that would have done credit to many a bird 

 regarded as a songster. The next morning a search along the 

 river shore was carried on in vain, until finally, about 8 o'clock, 

 the song was heard again. I was able, by careful stalking, to 

 get within a few feet of the bird ; but never saw it distinctly. 

 At the first appearance of my head above the greenery of the 

 shore the bird plunged in among the water plants, and I 

 have never seen it since or heard a similar song. This was 

 one of the unique experiences of a lifetime. 



The Sora apparently possesses greater powers of flight than 

 most other Rails, as Dr. Brewer states that large flights have 

 landed in the Bermudas on southwest winds. 



The food of this species apparently does not differ much 

 from that of the Virginia Rail, but it seems to feed more 

 largely on seeds and vegetation. 



