CLAPPER RAIL. 
105 
tjj of the females, who had perished on or near 
ciro^ were strewed along the shore. This last 
ajf ^®*t®nce proves how strong the ties of maternal 
'''h'./'*'* these birds; for of the gr<>at numbers 
foin H ^ “P and opened, not one male was to be 
not ''■ntong them ; all were females ! Such as had 
dg y®*' begun to sit probably escaped. These disasters 
P''8v«-‘nt the survivors from reeoraraeucing the 
0 (,. ^ ot laying and building anew ; and instances have 
by where their eggs have been twi<a! de.stroyed 
Sep ’® and yet in two weeks the eggs and nests 
rj, *-‘(1 as numerous as ever. 
tbu- ‘® young of the clapper rail very much resemble 
the i Virginian rail, e.vcept in being larger. On 
cl, ’^th of August, I examined one of those young 
1,1^1’®’' rails, caught among the reeds in the Delaware, 
ivitj^PpUrciitly about three weeks old ; it wa.s covered 
Ot, down, with the exception of a spot of white 
sidp ® ‘On-iculars, and a streak of the same along the 
lenv, **‘6 breast, belly, and fore part of the thigh ; the 
of a blackish slate colour; and the bill was 
the 'V**-*' uspot of white near the point, and round 
These run with great facility among the 
.j, and reeds, and are taken with extreme difficulty. 
tlPfy ® " I'ole defence of this species seems to be in the 
Of it® I*® t'igoiir of its limbs, and thin compressed form 
Stall- ^®?y> 'jy which it is enabled to ])ass between the 
Srass and reeds with great rapidity'. There are 
ilHdp7®''y where among the salt marshes covered ways, 
tail 1 * f*'® matted grass, through which the 
its way like a rat, without a possibility of 
There is generally one or more of these 
Utisp to the water edgfe, by which it may escape 
to • and sometimes, if closely pressed, it will dive 
dis,. '* ®ther side of the pond, gnt, or inlet, rising and 
'•''Oiiii®'®*’*"" again with the silence and celerity of 
buj in smooth water it swims tolei-ably well. 
isli, 
!*®t fast; sitting high in the water, with its neck 
,!®‘> and 
are. 
striking with great rapidity. When on 
’ 't runs with the neck extended, the tail erect. 
