108 
RALLUS VIRGINIANUS. 
of body, its aversion to take wing^, and the dexterit/ 
with which it runs or conceals itself amon^ the gt**' 
and sedge, are exactly similar to those of the comuio'' 
rail, from which genus, notwithstanding the dift’ereo'^ 
of its hill, it ought not to be separated. 
This bird is known to some of the inhabitants aloI'^ 
the sea-coast of New Jersey, by the name of the fresi*' 
water mud hen, this last being the common appellati#'' 
of the cla|)pcr rail, which the present species resembl^ 
in every thing but size. The epithet fresh-water 
given it, because of its frequenting those parts of t*** 
marsh only where fresh water springs rise through tl'^ 
bogs into the salt marshes. In these places it nsiiaJ.^ 
constructs its nest, one of which, through the actitf 
exertions of my friend Blr Ord, while traversing wiw 
me the salt marshes of Cape May, we had the goi^ 
fortune to discover. It was built in the bottom o(* 
tuft of grass, in the midst of an almost impeuetraN' 
quagmire, and was composed altogether of old wet gf^ 
and rushes. The eggs had been floated out of the nr-* 
by the extraordinary rise of the tide in a violent nort^' 
east storm, and lay scattered about amono- the drw 
weed. The female, however, still lingered near 
spot, to which she was so attached, as to sutfer hei'Sv 
to be taken by hand. She doubtless intended to repi*'* 
her nest, and commence laying anew ; as, during f'*'* 
few hours that she was in our possession, she laid 
egg, corresponding in all respects with the others. 
examining those floated out of the nest, they contain®' 
young, perfectly formed, but dead. The usual nunihr 
of eggs is from six to ten. Tln‘y are shaped like thn^ 
of the domestic hen, measuring one inch and two-teotj^ 
long, by very nearly half an inch in width, and lu'e 
dirty white, or pale cream colour, sprinkled with sP®‘T! 
of reddish and pale purple, most numerous near 1®, 
great end. They commence laying early in May, 
probably raise two brood in the season. I suspect f”’’ 
from the circumstance of Mr Ord having, late in t® 
month of July, brought me several young ones of onl/® 
few days old, which were caught among the grass D® 
