244 RAIL. 



the fit. I entered the room at the appointed time, and ap- 

 proached the bird, which had retired, on beholding me, in a 

 sullen humour, to a corner. On pointing my finger at it, 

 its feathers were immediately ruffled, and in an instant it 

 sprang forward, as in the first instance, and fell into a similar 

 fit. The following day, the experiment was repeated with 

 the like effect. In the fall of 1811, as 1 was shooting amongst 

 the reeds, I perceived a rail rise but a few feet before my 

 batteau. The bird had risen about a yard, when it became 

 entangled in the tops of a small bunch of reeds, and immedi- 

 ately fell. Its feet and neck were extended as in the instances 

 above mentioned, and, before it had time to recover, I killed 

 it. Some few days afterwards, as a friend and I were shooting 

 in the same place, he killed a rail, and, as we approached the 

 spot to pick it up, another was perceived, not a foot off, in a 

 fit. I took up the latter, and placed it in the crown of my 

 hat. In a few moments it revived, and was as vigorous as 

 ever. These facts go to prove that the rail is subject to gusts 

 of passion, which operate to so violent a degree as to produce 

 a disease similar in its effects to epilepsy. I leave the expli- 

 cation of the phenomenon to those pathologists who are com- 

 petent and willing to investigate it. It may be worthy of 

 remark, that the birds affected as described were all females 

 of the Gallinula Carolina, or common rail. 



" The rail, though generally reputed a simple bird, will 

 sometimes manifest symptoms of considerable intelligence. To 

 those acquainted with rail-shooting, it is hardly necessary to 

 mention that the tide, in its flux, is considered an almost in- 

 dispensable auxiliary; for, when the water is off the marsh, the 

 lubricity of the mud, the height and compactness of the reed, 

 and the swiftness of foot of the game, tend to weary the sports- 

 man and to frustrate his endeavours. Even should he succeed 

 in a tolerable degree, the reward is not commensurate to the 

 labour. I have entered the marsh in a batteau at a common 

 tide, and in a well-known haunt have beheld but few birds. 

 The next better tide, on resorting to the same spot, I have 

 perceived abundance of game. The fact is, the rail dive, and 



