144 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
times a score beyond that number, and these too, shot 
singly and on the wing. 
These birds are sometimes in such numbers, especially 
when a high tide uncovei’s them, that you may see some 
running rapidly before the boat, others looking at you and 
wagging their tails, and frequently within a few feet of 
the boat, while the more timid are endeavouring to escape 
by their awkward and ludicrous (light. 
The feat of shooting Rail on the wing may be performed 
by the most inexperienced shot who can sight a gun at all, 
and the opportunities of exercising the skill of these tyros 
are embraced with much eagerness, as the fact of seeing a 
bird fall before the shot of such, excites them to much 
perseverance, and gives them occasion to boast of their 
abilities for the balance of the year. The flight of the Rail 
is so regular and slow, that a good shot may kill fifty birds 
without scarcely or ever missing a shot — this has often 
been done. 
There is no kind of shooting which draws in its train 
such a variety of gunners as this sport. At the great 
places of resort, may be seen characters of all kinds; from 
the most motley group of horrid looking ragamuffins that 
would disgrace even a work-house tread-mill, to gentle- 
men of wealth and fashion, carried thither in their most 
splendid equipages — the former, who, unable to incur the 
expense of boats, wander along the shores and wade waist 
deep in mud and water, to secure a few birds, whose value 
would not be equal to one-fourth of what a day’s industry 
would obtain at honourable employment — but idleness and 
intemperance must have their votaries, and no occasion 
offers better inducement to such than the season of Rail 
shooting. 
The preparations made by Rail shooters differ much; — 
the experienced have their charges made into cartridges, 
so as to afford facility in loading, as on this greatly depends 
success as to numbers; while others have their materials in 
an open hox, in front of them, at the bow of the boat. Some 
are supplied with a requisite quantity of powder, and not 
over eight or ten pounds of shot; and again, others fearful 
of falling short, will not take less than a whole bag (25 lbs. ) 
for one tide; the former is generally successful in obtaining 
a large quantity of birds, while the latter not unfrequently 
have to put up with less than a dozen. 
It is always necessary to take a cold collation in the 
boat, as appetite is much awakened by the strengthening 
breezes on the water, and the exercise occasioned by shoot- 
ing; of this the pusher always shares, and unless there 
should also be signs of something stimulating in the cha- 
racter of brandy, you are not very favourably regarded by 
these pushers on other occasions. 
There is not perhaps in all the feathered tribe, an indi- 
vidual so difficult to arouse from its cover as the Rail; no 
noise, labour, or violence, will make this bird take wing, 
when a sufficiency of covering enables it to employ its 
wiles in eluding pursuit — and even when driven by the 
approach of a boat, on the rise of the tide from one spot 
by flight to another, you stand a better chance of starting 
a dozen fresh birds than this one again — and when shot, 
unless immediately killed, or its energies destroyed so as 
to prevent it from diving, it is seldom worth your while 
to seek it, as the time spent in fruitless search would per- 
haps be sufficient to get half a score of other birds. Owing 
to the difficult manner in which this bird takes wing, its 
short and laborious flight, the power of diving and remain- 
ing under water for a long time, and at times its very sud- 
den disajapearance from our shores, many persons erro- 
neously suppose that they remain with us the whole win- 
ter, and as they cannot find their hiding places, take it for 
granted they lie buried in the mud. The absurdity of this 
opinion I shall not attempt -to show, but will refer the 
reader to the history of the Rail, page 206, Yol. I. of the 
“Cabinet of Natural History,” where the folly of this 
doctrine is fully treated, and a more particular account given 
of this singular bird. 
Rail shooting is condemned by many, as unworthy of the 
notice or skill of sportsmen, as not ranking among game, or 
requiring science to shoot them; but, as it occurs only 
during that season when game cannot be shot, without 
violating the law and rules of sporting, it is sought by 
many who are good sportsmen, as a prelude to the shoot- 
ing season, and to satisfy in a measure an appetite, which 
a long interval of idleness creates; it is a fascinating amuse- 
ment, and he who goes once, if at all successful, will 
scarcely be able to refrain from going a second or third 
time. Nos. 9 and 10 shot should be used for shooting 
these birds, which, on trial, will be found not only suf- 
ficiently large to kill the bird at a clever distance, but not 
to do injury when necessity compels the shooter to kill 
his bird close at hand, as is too often the case. 
The Rail shooter is often rewarded with better kind of 
game. Ducks, teal, plover, and frequently snipe are met 
with and killed, and it is no uncommon circumstance for 
some individuals to carry duck guns, by which means a few 
of these birds are added to the list. 
Rail sell well in market, although such numbers are 
killed, as most families desire a taste of this popular bird, 
and was it not for their thick skins, and the intolerable dif- 
ficulty of divesting them of feathers, they would be re- 
garded as equal to any bird of game. These circumstances 
make many good housewives flinch from the task of pre- 
paring them for the table; and when anything grows un- 
popular with the ladies, it is “ nullified” at once. D. 
