DIFFERENTIAL POINTS : 



See Virginia Rail, page 275. 



REMARKS : 



he three eggs of the Carolina Rail figured on Plate LXIV, Fig. 3, were taken from a set of 

 eight found in Ross County in 1879. They show the coloring after the lapse of six years. The nest 

 was on the ground near a spring branch running through wet grass land. It was about eight inches in 

 diameter, and rather bulky and well built for this species. 



The Carolina Rail is by far the .commonest of the five Rails that visit Ohio, and in the fall affords 

 fair sport to some hunters. They fly slowly, and are about as easy to kill as butterflies, when the loads 

 are proportioned to their bodies. The chief difficulty experienced by the gunner is in making them take 

 wing, a thing which they avoid as much as possible, either by running through the weeds like mice, 

 or by hiding like quail. A dog properly trained will flush enough birds, however, in an afternoon to 

 afford fair shooting, provided of course the ground is such as to permit of a dog hunting at all. When 

 forced to fly the Rail flutters along just above the tops of the weeds, hardly clearing the taller stems, 

 and the chances are will tumble as if shot before far enough off for the hunter to shoot. If once flushed 

 it is next to impossible to make them rise a second time, and they are such consummate adepts at hiding 

 that I would about as soon look for a needle in a hay-stack as for a Rail in tall grass. Just before 

 dusk they are much easier put on wing than at any other time during the day. Often while shooting 

 Duck at dusk the report of the gun is sufficient to scare up dozens of Rail, and every few steps one is 

 routed, when half an hour before you could with difficulty start a single bird. While waiting for the 

 coming of Ducks, I have often been amused by the confiding nature of this Rail, and also by its curiosity. 

 I have had them come up to me and peck my gum boots, and play with the gun barrel as a bantam 

 rooster does when teased. One instance in particular I remember, I was having such sport playing with 

 one of these birds that I refrained several times from shooting at Wood Duck. 



I have frequently captured them alive, and have kept them for months. They do well in confine- 

 ment, soon becoming very tame. I kept one all winter some years ago, and fed it chiefly upon minnows. 

 They are adept fishermen, resorting to the same tactics for their capture as do the Herons. 



270 



