RAI.LID.E — THE RAILS — PORZANA. 



371 



111 liavo a very cxtcmlt'd (listrihiition. Paring' tho wintt>r it ia found in fiivomblo 

 l(ic;ilitit'S tlirouKluiut Cfiitml America, iMcxicu, and tiic cxtrtMUi' southern portions of 

 I lie I'nited States, and in tlie sunuiier it extends its niinrations as far nortli as lati- 

 liule (>L'''. it was found at Fort Hesohition, Moosu Fort, Fort Kae, and on tiie Red 

 lliver. 



3Ir. Salvin states tliat it is tlie only Kail found about tiie Lake of Dueilas, in 

 (iuateniala. where it is nii^riitory, li-avinj,' tliat district on the apjiroadi of summer. 

 Mr. Skinner also oiitained specimens in the district of Vera I'az. A sinj,de l»ird of 

 this species — a femide — wiis tiiken alive at St. Croix; and this was the only instance 

 111 its occurrence which c;ime to the kn(iwledi,'e of Mr. Kdward Newton. Li'otand 

 includes this Hail amonj,' tlic visitants of Trinidad, where it is only a bird of ])as.s- 

 iij^'c, arrivin,!,' in Dccendx'r or .liinnary, and leaving in April. It is met with very 

 nirely, and extdusively in overflowed districts and meadow-lands not far from the 

 .si'ii-sliore. It is a visitant also of Cuba, where it is not known to breed. It is lueu- 

 tioned by Mr. (los.se as being probaltly a regidar winter visitant of .Jamaica, two 

 specimens having l)epn taken there at different times. Mv. March al.so gives it as a 

 hinl of that island, and thinks that it is found there at all seasons and in all waters, 

 Irish or salt. He has never met with its eggs. Uoth Mr. liraco and Mr. Moore note 

 its presence in the Hahamas in winter. 



Its movements and the irregular character of its visits to Bernuula are interesting 

 features in its history. MajiU" .1. \V. Wedderbnrn ("Naturalist in licrunida," p. 4r») 

 states that it regularly visits licrmuda, arriving early in Septend)er. The first speci- 

 men, obtained Sei)t. .*!, 1S47, was settling on a branch of a niaugrove-tree — a very 

 uinisual action for tliis species, as it very rarely alights on a lind), and this one was 

 liiui' feet from the ground. A few remained throughout th(> winter. In October, 

 ]S4t), it arrived in inunense nund)evs, and one was killed January 17, and another 

 April 20. J. L. Mnrdis, in some supplementary notes (\). 8L') added to Major Wed- 

 (lcrl)urn's paper, states that however heavy and sluggish this l)ird may appear when 

 disturbed in its marshy I'etreat, there can be no doubt that it possesses great strength 

 lit wing; and the fact that it never fails to visit Bermuda in its great southern migra- 

 tions is siitficient proof of its jxiwcrs of flight. .\ single in.stanee was noted of its 

 lii'iiig met with as early as August '2-1. In .September it had become rather numer- 

 ous, l)ut were more alnnidant in October than at any other time. In some seasons 

 these birds all disa])i)eared about the end of October, while in others a few remained 

 to the 25th of November, and some even beyond that time. In 1841) and the three 

 following years this bird visiti'd ]]ermuda in its s])ring migriitions, appearing in 

 the latter part of February, and remaining through the months of March and April. 

 'fell specimens were shot and three taken alive, louring a southwest gale which pre- 

 vaile(l on the Dtli of October, 184!), thousands of this bird suddenly appeared in the 

 marshes of Bermuda, and on the 29tli of the same month not one of this species was 

 to be seen. The whole immense flight Iiad departed on some unexplained journey. 

 This departure could not have been occasioned by any want of food, for the marshes 

 \vcn> abundantly supplied, and the ]n'evailing temperature was between 70° and 80° 

 Fahrenheit. Jlr. Hnrdis states that this bird is also found in its migrations in the 

 Island of Barbadoes. .and thinks that there is little cause to doubt that the rivers 

 ami marshes of South America are its southern haunts during the winter months. 

 It is very fat when it arrives in the Bermudas — evidently a provision of nature to 

 sustain it in its long and arduous flight from one region to some distant point, as it 

 probably traverses the Atlantic Ocean for thirty or thirty-five degrees of latitude 

 without food. 



