RALLUS VIRGINIANUS : VIRGINIA RAIL. 285 



over-tasked, had given birth to a foal, and lay groaning 

 by the wayside, unable to rise. The water was too 

 nauseous to drink, and hardly answered to cook with. 

 After a poor meal, we lay down with gloomy thoughts. 

 But sleep was impossible, though wrapped never so 

 closely, head and all, in our blankets. We contended 

 with a bloodthirsty swarm of mosquitoes, wafted like a 

 cloud from the stagnant pools. Every breath of air 

 seemed to vibrate to the continuous hum of the insects ; 

 it was open onslaught, as well as stealthy attack, with 

 them, as we huddled around the camp-fire, on the side 

 to which the smoke was wafted, enveloped in blankets, 

 and impatiently waiting the day. We were bitten on 

 every exposed point ; for days afterward our hands and 

 faces were sore and swollen, inflamed by the tiny drops 

 of poison instilled into each wound. 



" But even under such circumstances I was gratified 

 by the presence of feathered friends. At nightfall some 

 Mallard and Teal settled into the rushes, gabbling 

 curious vespers as they went to rest. A few Marsh 

 Wrens had appeared on the edge of the reeds, queerly 

 balancing themselves on the thread-like leaves, see-sawing 

 to their own quaint music. Then they were hushed, and 

 as darkness settled down, the dull, heavy croaking of the 

 frogs played bass to the shrill falsetto of the insects. 

 Suddenly they too were hushed in turn, frightened, may 

 be, into silence ; and from the heart of the bulrushes, 

 " crik—crik-rik—k-k-k" lustily shouted some wide-awake 

 Rail, to be answered by another and another, till the 

 reeds resounded. Then all was silent again till the 

 most courageous frog renewed his pipes. The Rail are, 

 partially at least, nocturnal. During such moonlight 

 nights as this they are on the alert, patrolling the 



