RAI.LID.K - Till-: ItAFI.S - UAI.Ll'S. 



8«;l 



•ni't'iiu". mill 



.su lauiiy I'utH, ami tukitiK ii-Iiiki' iiiiioii^ tlu* tliii-kfst ot tlif IhisId'h, not slmwiiiK tliciii- 

 Mi'lvt'H iiri litii)( iiH tlicri* WHS any u|i|iai'riit ilaiiKcr. An adult, siifciiacn and a youn^' 

 liinl t't'ciMitly liatrlii'd ui'ic dlitaiiii'd Jaly I'l. 'I'ln- .stoniaili ol tin- toiiafi' rontaini'd 

 ;i |iipiti(»n (d a riali and a h\v shells. Tlii- yoiiiiK Itird wan coniiilettdy idntlifd in 

 liliu'k down witli a ^rt-i-nisli ^'lo.ss. 



Lt'-otaiid ){iv<-s this as onr ot tiit* most rommon l>irds of Trinidad, and as lirin^ 

 l>v tar till' most ainindaiit (d tiic Itails. It is always toiind anions tli<' nian^'iovcs, 

 iiiid iM'Vcr It'avcs tin' iiuidcr ot tlic mm. As it movt-s it always iiolds its li<-ad ficct 

 iiiiil its tail idi'vutt'd, IVar rather ilian pridt* sirming to lir tli<' moving; nuisf of thfso 

 jiositioMs. It always secnis a|>|in'ln'iisi\i' of daiij<cr, stoppinj,' every moment to waleh 

 iiiid to listen, and if seriously threatened eoncealinK itself hehind a iaannrove-fliim|), 

 or taking' to HiKht. it then lowers Um iiead, extends its neek hori/ontally, and starts 

 off with the rapidity «d an arrow. When nothing; appears to distiirh it or to attrait 

 its uttention, it seems to manliest sportive inipuLes, utteriii),' its very peeidiar rollinj; 

 ery. Other liinls take up and repeat the refrain, until the whole swamp resounds 

 willi the clamor, whieli may he heard to a ^reat distanee. This l)ird will responil 

 icidily to a deioy-ery, and is not fri;,ditened at the .slight of the hunter if tin' latter 

 keeps motionless; in this way it may he readily ohtained. It is mmdi hunted lor, as 

 a!tli(iu>,di its tlesh is not of the nieest (piality, it is eonsid«'rt'd fairly nood. 



In many parts of the eountry this lard is generally known as the '• .Meadow-hen." 

 It is es>entially a southern speeies, resident thnaiKhoiit the year south (d the I'oto- 

 niae, hardly known Iteyond Loni,' Island, ami rare even there, (iiraud states that it 

 is. however, ahundant on the sea-eoast (d' New .lersey. and that in some sea.sons it 

 cHiiirs in eonsideralile mindiers nu the salt-marshes ahaiy; tlu' south shore of I-oni< 

 island, whieh it readies aliout the \s\. nf .May. remaininj; until the latter part of 

 Septendier, and a few eoutiuuin.!:; e\en as late as Oetolier. 



1 am. however, informed Ity .Mr. .1. II. Uatty that, having' lor sonn- tinn' suspeeted 

 tli.it this speeies remains on \,\.\w^ Island durin.L; the winter, he ohtained positive evi- 

 diiice of the fact in at least one — perhaps exceptional — instance. On the Ith of 

 I'lliniary, lH7.">, havin,\' hcen informed that a •• .Mea(hiw-hen " had heen .seen on a 

 iici,'lilM>rin,y; creeli, he proceeded to the place with his ^{un and dog, and procurt'd tho 

 hini, whiidi |iioved to lie a line adult male. 



This species is said to he contineil almost e?itindy to low wet marshes, hidinj^ in 

 tlic reeds and I'ank j^rass. It can sidilom he seen llyiu},', and seems when pursiicd to 

 ilcpcnd for escape on its power of runninj,'. Its speed is very rapid, and with its 

 tliin compressed hody it is aide to pass ihroiii,di the j,'rass so <pnckly that it is soon 

 nut of si^dit and dan^'cr. In l.ou'^' Island it hreeds in the latter part of .May, placing' 

 tlic nest on the meadows, and usually hiiildin;,' it so hi',di that it ma_\ he readily <lis- 

 c(p\cn'd. This is attriliuted In the damrei- from lii,i,di tides. The e,i,'j^i are esteemed 

 a '.;reat delicacy and are much si>u;;hl alter, Ihe uuiiiImt found in a nest Indng u.snally 

 ten, of a jiale clay-colnr. tiiidy dotted ujth piirph t in making? a short excursion 



in the water this liird In mcs suddenly alarnn'd, it instantly disappears hy divinj,', 



or if near the hank, hy hidiny: in the ;^'rass. Jf far from the shore it will cdiny to the 

 roots of tin' >,'rass, where it will sometimes icmain a surprisinj,dy long whih'. It is 

 lint usually pursued hy sportsmen except when the meadows are ovcrtlowed hy the 

 miusual high tides, which occur idtcr the wind has heen hlowing heavily from the 

 .southeast. Hunters take advantage of these occasions, and pushing a skill' over the 

 sunken meaihiws, drive the Kails from their retreats, often ohtaining them in large 

 tiiniiliers. .\s this hird is slow in its flight ami moves in a straight line, it heeomes 

 an easy mark wdieii there is nothing to ohstruct the sight, and may he very readily 

 vol.. I. — 40 



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