Birds of Massachusetts. 225 
day time, and only ventures abroad at night ; but it 
` feeds, both by night and day, on water insects, worms 
and seeds. It is extremely swift in running, and 
if pursued by a dog, will change its direction so 
often, rising on its wings at times, that he soon loses 
its track, as it escapes among the weeds. When on 
the wing, it can be shot, as it flies low and heavily, 
and only a short distance at a time. The nest is not 
easily found, being generally placed in a tuft, in soft 
meadows, where it is not easy for a man to go. 1t is 
a little raised, by means of the stalks of grasses, 
with a shallow cavity, lined with dry weeds, to con- 
tain the eggs. These are from four to seven in num- 
ber, of a dusky white, with specks of brown red 
and pale purple, thickest toward the larger end. Dr. 
Brewer succeeded in finding one of these nests in a 
small meadow near Jamaica Plain, and within a few 
yards of the Providence rail-road. | 
The Sora Ratt, Rallus Carolinus, which was 
formerly thought to follow the example of the swal- 
low, and bury itself in the mud for the sake of pass- 
ing the winter pleasantly, is a rare bird in Massa- 
chusetts. Birds of passage, on their way to their 
breeding places in the north, move on with very 
little delay ; but on their return, having nothing but 
the fear of winter to hasten their motions, they lin- 
ger till their instinct warns them that the last 
minute is come. It is, accordingly, in the autumn 
only, that this bird has been seen in our State. The 
same gentleman who ascertained that the former 
VOL. III.—NO. 1H. 
