604 THE CLAPPER RAIL. 
the neck drawn back, and the tail cocked up. They are 
poor flyers, as every one knows; so poor, it seems, that it is 
somewhat a matter of surprise that some of the family 
perform such extensive migrations. When started on wing, 
a thing not easy to effect, except at high tide, they fly up 
in a remarkably weak, vague way, flap hurriedly a little 
distance, and settle suddenly again, with a peculiar motion of 
the wings, as if simply letting themselves drop. This cir- 
cumstance makes these and other kinds of rails—they are all 
alike in this respect—the very easiest of all birds to shoot on 
the wing ; and is one reason, perhaps the chief, that so many 
people are fond of rail-shooting. The birds in fact are 
not distinguished either as flyers or swimmers ; their strong 
point is walking. As walkers, they have “few equals and. 
no superiors.” A glance at their long strong legs is sufli- 
cient to establish this fact, without the trouble of going into 
a marsh, and observing how every square foot of soft mud 
is marked with the impress of their feet—all the impres- 
sions made of course since the last tide. The rails’ attitudes 
are not easily learned ; when seen, the birds are generally in 
too much of a hurry for this, but some of their poses are 
extremely graceful. Audubon has caught them best of any 
one who has attempted their @alincation. As any one will 
notice, who has an opportunity of seeing a rail leisurely 
stepping about, in fancied security, there is a connection 
between the muscles of the tail and legs. With every step 
there is a corresponding jerk of the tail, apparently invol- 
untary, and regular as clock-work. The same movements 
are repeated by the head and neck, as in most birds ; they all 
tend to secure in equilibrio the forces acting upon the centre 
of gravity, as this is thrown now over one, now over the 
other leg. The remarkable compression of the body, that 
enables. the birds to pass between close-set reeds, need not 
ee upon. The expression "thin as a rail,” refers, I 
i to these birds, and not to what fences are made of ; 
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