112 
HALLUS CAnOLINUS. 
sunset to a late hour in the night, is yet unknown jj; 
sight to more than nine-tenths of the inhabitants. “ *, 
well known cry,” says Bewick, “ is first heard as 
as the grass becomes long enough to shelter it, 
continues till the grass is cut ; but the bird is seld^ 
seen, for it constantly skulks among the thickest 
of the herbage, and runs so nimbly through it, wiu*''^ 
and doubling iu every direction, that it is difficiil* 
come near it; when hard pushed by the dog-, it 
times stops short, aud squats down, by which mean* 1, 
too eager pursuer overshoots the spot, and loses f* 
trace. It seldom springs but when driven to extrciu’J;! 
and generally Hies with its legs hanging down, but nc'^ 
to a great distance ; as soon as it alights it runs ofl’, ^ ^ 
before the fowler has reached the spot, the bird is **j 
considerable distance.”# The water crake, or spot^ 
rail of the same country, which in its plumage approa®*' 
nearer to our rail, is another notable exam])lo of , 
same general habit of the genus. “ Its common abo^^ 
says the same writer, “ is in low swampy grounds) J; 
which are pools or streamlets overgrown with wilinfj 
reeds, and rushes, where it lurks and hides itself i 
great circumspection ; it is wild, solitary, and shy, 
will swim, dive, or skulk under any cover, and so^ 
times suffer itself to be knocked on the head, raw 
than rise before the sportsman and his dog.” 
water rail of the same country is equally noted 
like habits. In short, the whole genus possess 1*^ 
strong family character in a very remarkable degref' . 
These three species are well known to migrate . 
Britain early in spring, aud to leave it for the 
southern parts of Europe in autumn. Yet they ^ 
rarely or never seen on their passage to or from •Jj 
countries where they are regularly found at diff«''> 
seasons of the year, and this for the very same rcas®^ 
that they are so rarely seen even in the places 
they inhabit. ^ 
It is not therefore at all surprising, that the 
migrations of the American rail or sora should in ^ 
• Bewick’s British Birds, vol. i, p. 308. 
