VIRGINIAN RAIL. 379 
netrable quagmire, and was composed altogether of old wet grass and 
rushes. The eggs bad been floated out of the nest by tbe extraordinary 
rise of the tide, in a violent north-east storm, and lay scattered about 
among the drift-weed. Tbe female, however, still lingered near the 
spot, to which she was so attached, as to suffer herself to be taken by 
hand. She doubtless intended to repair her nest, and commence laying 
anew ; as, during the few hours that she was in our possession, she laid 
one egg, corresponding in all respects with the others. On examining 
those floated out of the nest, they contained young, perfectly formed 
but dead. The usual number of eggs is from six to ten. They are 
shaped like those of the domestic hen, measuring one inch and two- 
tenths long, by very nearly half an inch in width, and are of a dirty 
white, or pale cream color, sprinkled with specks of reddish, and pale 
purple, most numerous near the great end. They commence laying 
early in May, and probably raise two broods in tbe season. I suspect 
this from the circumstance of Mr. Ord having, late in the month of 
July, brought me several young ones, of only a few days old, which 
were caught among the grass, near the border of the Delaware. The 
parent Rail showed great solicitude for their safety. They were 
wholly black, except a white spot on the bill ; were covered with a fine 
down, and had a soft piping note. In the month of June, of the 
same year, another pair of these birds began to breed amidst a boggy 
spring in one of Mr. Bartram's meadows ; but were unfortunately 
destroyed. 
The Virginian Rail is migratory, never wintering in the Northern or 
Middle States. It makes its first appearance in Pennsylvania early in 
May ; and leaves the country on the first smart frosts generally in 
November. I have no doubt but many of them linger in the low woods, 
and marshes, of the Southern States, during winter. 
This species is ten inches long, and. fourteen inches in extent; bill 
dusky red ; cheeks and stripe over the eye ash, over the lores, and at 
the lower eyelid, white ; iris of the eye red ; crown and whole upper 
parts black, streaked with brown, the centre of each feather being 
black ; wing-coverts hazel brown, inclining to chestnut ; quills plain 
deep dusky ; chin white ; throat, breast and belly, orange brown ; 
sides and vent black, tipped with white ; legs and feet dull red brown ; 
edge of the bend of the wing; white. 
The female is about half an inch shorter, and differs from the male 
in having the breast much paler, not of so bright a reddish brown ; 
there is also more white on the chin and throat. 
When seen, which is very rarely, these birds stand or run with the 
tail erect, which they frequently jerk upwards. They fly with the legs 
hanging, generally but a short distance ; and the moment they alight, 
run off with great speed. 
