230 FEATHERED GAME 
nished with a long, stout, curved bill with which 
to procure his food,—insects, snails, and the 
like—for he is principally an animal feeder. 
On this account his flesh is scarcely as good as 
that of the sora. 
The Virginia Rail’s nesting habits are the 
same as the other members of the family, with 
a larger complement of eggs, there being from 
seven to ten in a setting, dirty white in color, 
and splashed with purplish spots. The Vir- 
ginia may sometimes raise two broods in a sea- 
son, but probably not often in New England. 
This bird is marked as follows: above, 
streaked with dark brown and brownish olive, 
the wing coverts a deep red brown; top of head 
and back of neck dark brown; below a rich 
red brown, brightest on the breast and fading 
out toward throat and belly; flanks and insides 
of wings blackish, barred with white. The 
length of this species ten inches, extent four- 
teen. Bill about one and three-quarters inches 
long. Female smaller than the male and lighter 
colored. 
A past master in the art of skulking, no water 
rat can pass through tangled grass and cat-tails 
as rapidly as he, when running with his head 
