CHAPTER XVI. 
RAILS. 
Their haunts and habits—Charges for a gun—Method of shooting rails 
—Big bags. 
The rails enjoy greater immunity from the guns of 
sportsmen than any other birds on the Continent consid- 
ered fit for the table. One cause for this is the fact that 
they make their habitat in wet meadows and marshes, 
where it is difficult to reach them without the aid of 
boats, and that they migrate during the night only, on 
account of the shortness of their wings, which prevents 
them from making long flights. Their bright eyes, 
graceful forms, short, upright tails, active movements, 
jaunty carriage, and innocent inquisitiveness render them 
interesting to lovers of birds, while their delicacy of flesh 
makes them equally so to an epicure. They are fleet of 
foot, gregarious, and fond of indulging in social gossip 
when they feel themselves safe, but they relapse into si- 
lence the moment a foe appears. They will approach te 
within a few feet of a man if he stands still, but the least 
perceptible movement on his part will send them scamper- 
ing away. That they are not so frightened as they pre- 
tend is evident, however, from the readiness with which 
they reappear, and slyly peep at the intruder if he keeps 
quiet. They utter a shrill cry which is easily imitated, 
anud‘to which they are always ready to respond, both by 
voice and presence, for they rush out of concealment on 
hearing it. They prefer to use their legs to their wings 
in escaping a threatened danger, but, if wounded, they 
resort to diving and swimming under water, or to hiding 
in the grass or sedges until they are almost run over. 
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