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372 



AhECToUIDES. 



JSt'iiiliiirdt rctiiius thin spcrics iiiikhi^,' tlic liirds of (irt'ciiliiinl on tln' sticn^tli ol n 

 hIu^'I*' Npfciiiti'U ohtuiiu'il lit Siikki rtn|)|icii, ( h't. <t, IKL'.'t. Sir iltilm lUcliiinlMuii Hpciiks 

 III' this spccii'H us iii'iii^' ('iiiiininii in tin* Imii' ('oiintiics, in tlir .siinLiiu'i' season, up U, 

 tilt' (ILM paralli'l. It is partiriilaily aliundunt on tiic siiorcs of tlic small lakes wliidi 

 skirt tlie plains of tlu' Sask.iteiiewan. 



Afr. noiirilnian int'ornis nie that he hi^ t'onnil this Itail in the neii^hliorhooil ni 

 Calais, Me., where it is known to iireed, ami where it is mueh more eomnion than the 

 ViriLjinia Itail. it lireeds in all llie marshes alon^,' the iiorders ol the mimeroiis inlets 

 and rivers on the southern shores of Maine, and I have I'oiuid it cspiM-ially abundant 

 on the Sheepseot and Oamariseotta rivers. I'rolessor Verrill mentions it as a sum- 

 iner visitant in ( (xt'ord County, lint as not oeeurrin.y; thi're in very threat luindierN. 

 Mr. .\llen speaks of it as arrivin;.,' near Sprin,i,'tieid. .Mass., in April, remainiiii^ until 

 Movendier, liri'edin}^ and lieeomiuj,' ipiite common in Septemlier and (>etoliei'. 'i'|ii. 

 wame naturalist also mentions it as common in (i-eat Salt Lake N'alley. .Mr. IJidLrway 

 mentions it as lieinj,' inimerous in the maishes aluMit Pyramid and (Jreat Salt Lakes; 

 and the sanu' was true of jtnliy N'alley and the vieiidty of Parley ',s Park, and in fail 

 in all the localities of a similar character throu,!.,diout the entires extent of his route in 

 tiu> (Jreat P>asin. Mr. Dresser found this siieeies not uncommon near San Antonio 

 in the nuinths of Septendier. Octolier. and Noveiultcr. 



Aceordiuf,' to tlic ol),scrvations of (iirand. it is not common in Lon^ Ishmd, thou^ii 

 luiw and then to lie nu't with alon.i,' the shruliliy hanks of creeks, and is also some- 

 times observed on the salt-mai'shes. In the vicinity of New ^'ork City it is not, 

 knoAvn to occur in any f,'reat nundiers, oidy a few halting,' in their northern migra- 

 tions on wet and miry places covered with tall j^i'ass and rushes, it is very abun- 

 dant in the early part of Septendier alonj,' the reedy nuir^,dn of the llaekensack llivir. 

 where it is hunted in the same manner as the ••('lap]ier Kail." It is exceedinf,dy timiil 

 and retiring, seeking,' seclusion among the lank grass. At low water it can very larely 

 he detected, as it hides so (dostdy among tlie tall water-plants; iind but for its .shrill 

 sliort notes its ])resenct> would not be suspected. In eonseipiencc of this peculiarity 

 of its habits, the sportsman'.s excursions are regulated by the state of the tide, and 

 his visits are timed so as to enable him to be on the sjiot some time bid'ore the tiilc 

 is in. Seated in a light skiff, ;uded by a ])erson .skilleil in the sport, who jiushcs 

 a.long the boat and forces the Kails from thoir itlaces of concealment, he is often 

 enabled to fliish and to shoot a large nund)er. The bird is driven from its place of 

 ooncealiuent, the rushes no longer affording it any ]iroteetion. ami it is compelled to 

 rise as the boat apiivoaches. As it always sjirings up at a short distance, and its tligiit 

 is feeble, it is easily shot. The Sora is very sensitive to cold, and is not to be nut 

 with in these marshes after the first sharp frost. In the spring, during its northern 

 migrations, it makes a short stoj) to recruit in its favorite marshes, but continues its 

 journey Avith oidy a very brief (Uday. Its favorite food is wild oats, from wliidi 

 its flesh derives a very delicate flavor. In tlu; autumn it becomes very fat, and is 

 then much sought for by epicures. AVhen driven in the fall to warmer sbelter by an 

 early frost, it will, on the reeurrence of nnlder weather, often return to its favorite 

 feeding-grounds. It leaves New Jersey early in October. 



"Doughty's Cabinet of Natural Hi.story" (1. p. 208) gives an interesting account 

 of the manner of hunting this bird on the marshes of the Delaware. Early in August, 

 when the reeds have attained their full growth, the Sora Kail re-sorts to them in great 

 numbers to feed on the seeds, of which it is very fond. This reed (the Zhnnhi chin/- 

 losa of Miehaux) grows up from the soft nniddy shores of the tide-water, where the 

 surface is alternately bare and covered with four or five feet of water, and attains 



