YELLOW-BREASTED RAIL. 153 



near Vincennes, on the Wabash river, in summer, when they had young 

 broods. In the course of my stay at the Silver Springs in East Florida, I 

 observed a good number of these birds along the margins of the lakes and 

 swampy bayous, and had ample opportunities of assuring myself that this 

 species is far from being nocturnal, as authors have alleged, at least when in 

 places where they are under no apprehension of danger. In those sultry 

 solitudes I have at times seen them following the margins of the muddy 

 shores, with delicate and measured steps, until attracted by something worthy 

 of their attention, when they suddenly jerked their tail upwards and for a 

 moment disappeared. Again, they would gracefully leap upon the slender 

 twig of some low shrub or bush, apparently in search of small snails or other 

 objects, jerking their tail at every movement. There it was that I again saw 

 the extraordinary power of contraction which their body is able to assume 

 while they are pushing forward between two or more stubborn branches. 

 They were all so gentle that I at times approached within a few yards of 

 them, when they would now and then look cunningly at me, rise more erect 

 for a moment, and then resume their occupations. 



When searched for by a dog, they seem as if determined to put him out 

 by continual manoeuvring, running and cutting backwards within a few yards 

 of extent until the dog can no longer follow the last trail. Just then they 

 rise on wing, or run off to some other spot equally adapted for security. A 

 friend of mine who resides in New Orleans, and has shot some hundreds of 

 this species, told me that the best method of obtaining a shot is to lie con- 

 cealed near an opening in the grass, and call the bird out of cover by imitat- 

 ing its notes, when in a few minutes, being extremely pugnacious, it comes 

 to the clear space, and may be easily shot. Its flesh is delicate and savoury. 



The nest somewhat resembles that of R alius elegans. It is generally 

 placed upon the ground in the centre of a thick tuft of grass, and the bed of 

 it is at times elevated above the soil to the height of four or five inches. It 

 is composed of weeds of various kinds, and is now and then covered over in 

 the same manner as that of our Meadow Lark. The eggs are from eight to 

 ten, pure white, thin-shelled, and measure 1^- inches by nearly seven-eighths. 

 The young are at first black, and are able to follow their parents almost im- 

 mediately after birth. I am induced to believe that two, or perhaps three, 

 broods are reared in the season. 



The flight of this pretty little bird is rather swift, and more protracted 

 than that of some of our Rails, especially when put up by a dog coming in- 

 advertently upon it. At other times, when in places not frequented, it rises 

 and removes to a distance rarely exceeding thirty or forty yards, falling as it 

 were among the grass with wings stretched upwards and dangling legs. The 

 gizzard is large and muscular, as in the Water-hen and our other Rails. One 



