RALLID.E — THE RAILS — RALLUS. 355 



Mr. Lewis states that it is well known td tlie Delaware Rail-shooters as the "King- 

 Eail." It frequents the fresh-water marshes of the interior, and feeds on the same 

 food as the Sora Kail, being often found in the same localities as that bird. He met 

 with it in greater abundance farther south, and rarely noticed it north of the Dela- 

 ware marshes. Its flesh he regards as very similar to that of the Sova, but as not 

 being quite so delicate, though at times equally juicy and tender. It is found in 

 fresh-water marshes only, according to his experience, and was not met with on the 

 sea-board. It seems to have the same wild sk\ilking habit of the Sora, and its flight 

 is sliort and labored ; when once raised it is easily shot. When wounded it can both 

 swim and dive well, and conceals itself in the water among the reeds. Mr. Lewis 

 shot one in July, on an upland marsh in the midst of a thick wood in Maryland. 



lAIr. ^Vudubon regarded it as Inung altogether a fresh-water bird, and confined to the 

 Southern .States ; and in this lirst supposition he was undoubtedly correct ; for what 

 was sup2)osed to be exceptional in the Pacific coast Eail is onlj^ evidence of the 

 distinctness of species ; but he was in error in thinking it exclusively southern. 



This bird is abundant about Chicago, on Lake Koskonong, Wis., in Minnesota, 

 and in other Western States ; and we have no doubt that the Rail referred to by 

 Mr. JNIcIlwraith as breeding about Hamilton, Canada West, is this bird, and not, as 

 he supposed, the crejyitaiia. I saw it abundant in the market at Chicago about the 10th 

 of April in an unusually late season. Mr. J. A. Allen met with it in Salt Lake Valley, 

 where he found it very abundant. 



Audubon speaks of it as an excessively shy bird, running with celerity, and when 

 caught crying like the Common Fowl. It resides throughout the year in the fresh- 

 water marshes in the interior of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and 

 Texas. The same author was informed that this bird is now and then obtained near 

 Philadelphia, where it is considered very rare, and is known as the " King Rail." 



In South Carolina, according to Dr. Bachman, although not so n\nnerous as other 

 species, it is not rare in favorable sitiiations. Wherever there are extensive marshes 

 by the side of sluggish streams, this Rail may be found gliding swiftly among the 

 tangled rank grasses and aquatic weeds, or standing on the broad leaves of the water- 

 lily ; and there, on some little island of the marsh, it builds its nest. Dr. Bachman 

 states that he has found twenty pairs breeding within a space having a diameter of 

 thirty yards. The nests were placed on the ground and raised to the height of six 

 or eight inches by means of withered weeds and grasses, the number of the eggs 

 being nine or ten. He found a few with eggs about the middle of March, but the 

 greater number of these birds begin to breed about the middle of April. They 

 repair their nests from time to time, and return to them several years in succession. 

 The young — which are at first covered with a black down — leave the nest as soon 

 as they are hatched, and follow their parents along the borders of streams and pools, 

 where they feed on insects, seeds, tadpoles, leeches, and small crayfish. Dr. Bach- 

 man several times attempted to domesticate this bird, but failed, probably on account 

 of being unalile to obtain a sufficient quantity of suitable food. When grown it feeds 

 on a variety of substances, including seeds and other vegetable productions. In its 

 gizzard were found the seeds of grasses wdiich grow in the places it frequents. On 

 one occasion its stomach was crammed with the seeds of the Arundo Ucta ; and that 

 of another bird contained a quantity of oats which had evidently been picked up on a 

 newly-sown field near the nuirsh. It is a bird difficult to shoot, as it is not easily 

 raised, and because it confines itself to swampy places, covered with smilax and other 

 briers and thus rendered inaccessible. In seasons of great drought, when the marshes 

 become dry, it has been known entirely to disappear from the neighborhood, retiring 



