RAIL. 31 



in a tussock of grass, is formed of a little dry grass, and has four 

 or five eggs of a dirty whitish color, with brown or blackish spots ; 

 the young run off as soon as they break the shell, are then quite 

 black, and run about among the grass like mice. The old ones 

 he has very rarely observed at that time, but the young often. 

 Almost every old settler along these meadows with whom I have 

 conversed has occasionally seen young Rail in mowing time ; and 

 all agree in describing them as covered with blackish down. There 

 can, therefore, be no reasonable doubt as to the residence of many 

 of these birds both here and to the northward during the summer. 

 That there can be as little doubt relative to their winter retreat, 

 Avill appear more particularly towards the sequel of the present ac- 

 count. During their residence here, in summer, their manners 

 exactly correspond with those of the Water Crake of Britain al- 

 ready quoted; so that, tho actually a different species, their parti- 

 cular habits, common places of resort, and eagerness for conceal- 

 ment, are as nearly the same as the nature of the climates will 

 admit. 



Early in August, when the reeds along the shores of the Dela- 

 ware have attained their full growth, the Rail resort to them in 

 great numbers to feed on the seeds of this plant, of which they, as 

 well as the Rice birds and several others, are immoderately fond. 

 These reeds, which appear to be the zizania panicula effusa of Lin- 

 naeus, and the zizania clavulosa of Willdenow, grow up from the 

 soft muddy shores of the tide water, which are alternately dry, and 

 covered with four or five feet of water. They rise with an erect, 

 tapering stem to the height of eight or ten feet, being nearly as 

 thick below as a man's wrist, and cover tracts along the river of 

 many acres. The cattle feed on their long green leaves with avi- 

 dity, and wade in after them as far as they dare safely venture. 

 They grow up so close together that, except at or near high water, 

 a boat can with difficulty make its way through among them. The 

 seeds are produced at the top of the plant, the blossoms or male 



