Vermont Botanical and Bird Clubs 15 



turbed by our unexpected and unwelcome, not to say splashy and 

 uncertain, progress. 



Near the place of our entrance we found an empty rail's nest with 

 egg shells scattered about below it. This was on May 25th, and it 

 seemed probable that some bird or animal had dined here rather than 

 that young birds had hatched and departed. During the hunt we 

 located nine rails' nests — ^six Virginias and three soras — containing 

 from eight to 12 eggs each, slightly incubated. 



The nests were, in some instances, of dry cat-tail rushes bent down 

 to form a shallow cupped platform canopied over with the same 

 material; in others, they were on bunches of tussock grass and of 

 similar design. All were difficult to find, being so well hidden that 

 one might stand almost within reach of the eggs and not see them 

 without the most diligent search. Then, too, the birds either slipped 

 off their nests long before we came near or darted away from almost 

 under our feet and vanished imimediately, thus rendering discovery of 

 the nests by flushing the bird most uncertain. We marked each nest 

 as we located it so that we could choose the best sets of eggs from the 

 total find without needlessly disturbing any. 



Later in the afternoon we went the rounds again to collect the 

 chosen sets; but had considerable difficulty in re-locating the last one 

 and were diligently hunting over the immediate vicinity when, just 

 as I was about to step from one tussock to another, a rail fiushed from 

 almost under my foot and I, somewhat startled, just missed stepping 

 into a nice little Virginia rail's nest containing 11 eggs; but didn't 

 miss going splash into the water and getting thoroughly soaked! Thus 

 the imperfect end of a perfect day and the opportunity for the critic 

 to say, "Good enough for you, egg-robber!" 



I have visited both swamps since and found only a single sora in 

 the small swamp, and numerous nests of the Virginia in the large one, 

 but no further sora's nests. 



No one would suspect the presence of rails in either of these 

 swamps, except perhaps by reason of the nature of the terrain. Only 

 by careful search may one find any sign of the birds, so quiet are they 

 and so craftily expert in keeping out of sight and hiding their nests. 

 I believe these birds are said to have a variety of call-notes, but I 

 have rarely heard them; and then only when in the close vicinity of 

 their nests. Suddenly from out the tangle of marsh grass and reeds 

 may come a short, disgusted sounding "chuck"; a squawk, with rising 



