YPECAHA RAIL 169 



instantly on his back, then rain a shower of blows on 

 his breast before he could rise. It was fond of eggs, 

 and always knew when a hen went off to lay, cautiously 

 following her to the nest and then concealing itself 

 at some distance to wait. As soon as the egg was 

 dropped it would run, pick it up with its beak, and 

 carry it away to a safe distance, and then, breaking 

 a hole in the shell at one end, suck out the contents 

 without spilling a drop. Sometimes, when the hen 

 remained too long on the nest, it would lose its 

 temper, and, driving her off, pursue her with the 

 greatest animosity about the grounds, administering 

 correction with its sharp beak. Not satisfied with 

 devouring all the eggs laid by the doctor's fowls, it 

 visited all the neighbours* houses, doing so much 

 damage that at length the poor doctor, afraid perhaps 

 that his practice would suffer, had the troublesome 

 bird put to death. 



This Ypecaha would never allow any one to touch 

 it, but it would come into the house and search 

 through all the rooms for thimbles, scissors, and 

 other small metal objects, and these it would carry 

 away to conceal them among the weeds or else bury 

 them in the mud. It was also a good mouser, and 

 after killing a mouse with a blow from its beak would 

 swallow it entire. 



