THE SORA RAIL 233 
the spring they arrive here about May and 
leave for their winter quarters soon after the 
first sharp frosts, though I have known of their 
staying here (Maine) until December twentieth 
in a mild season. 
The Sora makes its nest of soft dry grasses 
on a little hummock just above the high water 
limit, and lays from four to six eggs, in color 
a dull gray, splashed with brownish spots. The 
young are covered with black down and are very 
active almost from their arrival, running about 
among the reeds like mice. From their retir- 
ing habits and unobstrusive natures the rails 
probably suffer less from hawks or other marsh 
birds’ enemies than do any of their neighbors. 
My best sport at rail-shooting has been dur- 
ing the high tides on the full of the moon in 
September, when the sea had filled all the nooks 
and corners of the marsh and driven the birds 
in from their resting places on the long grass 
and hummocks scattered through it. When the 
tide was up they took refuge along the edges— 
up in the fields—in the brush-grown coves, 
where, when they flushed among the alders it 
was almost woodcocking—in fact, anywhere to 
find cover. A good spaniel is the best four- 
