44 VIRGINIAN RAIL. 



between the genera Rallus and Crex, as they partake of the habits of 

 both. When pursued, the Virginian Rail is, with great difficulty, put 

 up, as I have already mentioned, but when it is once on wing it may be 

 shot by a very ordinary gunner. It rises without noise, flies off" with its 

 legs dangling and its neck stretched out, but seldom proceeds farther 

 than twenty or thirty yards at a time, unless when it has a stream to 

 cross, or during its migrations. Like all the other species with which I 

 am acquainted, it feeds both by day and by night. Its food consists of 

 small slugs, snails, aquatic insects, worms, Crustacea, and the seeds of 

 those grasses which grow in salt or fresh water marshes, in either of which 

 they reside and even breed. I have not been able to ascertain whether 

 they lay more than once in the season ; but, on account of the compa- 

 ratively small number of this species, I am inclined to suppose that they 

 seldom raise more than one brood, unless their eggs have been destroyed, 

 whether by inundation or otherwise. 



The Virginian Rail is not without enemies ; and, although it mani- 

 fests a good deal of courage, and at times acts towards the Marsh Hawk 

 in the same manner as the Rallus crepitans, it seldom succeeds in its at- 

 tempts, and on several occasions I have seen that bird seize them as they 

 attempted to strike it with their bill and claws for the purpose of driving 

 it away. The minx, the garfish, the snapping turtle, and sometimes eels, 

 destroy them, as well as the Sora Rail. 



Whilst at Chai'leston in South Carolina, I frequently saw little strings 

 of these birds exposed in the market, at a very low price ; and they are 

 excellent eating during autumn and winter. Their comparative scarcity, 

 however, prevents the gunner from searching after them with the same 

 eagerness as he pursues the Rallus crepitans, and to shoot a dozen in the 

 course of a day may be considered a remarkable feat. In that country, 

 during the latter part of autumn, and in winter, they are usually met with 

 in the salt-marshes bordering the estuaries of large rivers. 



Like the two preceding species, the Virginian Rail has the power of 

 contracting its body to enable it to pass with more ease between the stalks 

 of strong grasses or other plants. When observed unseen, it frequently 

 jerks the tail vipwards, in the manner of Gallinules, but the moment it 

 notices any one of its enemies, it droops the tail, lowers its head, and runs 

 off with the quickness of thought. 



The young of this species are at first of a black colour, like that of 

 Rallus crepitans and R. elegans ; but, like those of the latter, attain the 



