116 
RALLUS CAROLINUS. 
floating reeds, as also the backwardness of the game , 
spring as the tide decreases, oblige them to returf'. | 
Several boats are sometimes within a short distance 
each other, and a perpetual cracking of ransketJf 
prevails along the whole reedy shores of the river. 
these excursions it is not uncommon for an active a#" 
expert marksman to kill ten or twelve dozen in a tid*^' 
They are usually shot singly, though 1 have known fi*'* 
killed at one discharge of a double-barrelled pie^* 
These instances, however, are rare. 
The flight of these birds among the reeds is usualV 
low; and, shelter being abundant, is rarely extended 
more than fifty or one hundred yards. When winf^ 
and uninjured in their legs, they swim and dive wit® 
great rapidity, and are seldom seen to rise again. ^ 
have several times, on such occasions, discovered tbet® 
clinging with their feet to the reeds under the wat«'’' 
and at other times skulking under the floating reed* 
with their bill just above the surface. Sometim^ 
ivheu wounded, they dive, and, rising under the gunwtw 
of the boat, secrete themselves there, moving round 
the boat moves, until they have an opportunity r 
escaping unnoticed. They are feeble and delicate ^ 
every thing but the legs, which seem to possess gr®^ 
vigour and energy, and their bodies being so remarkaW 
thin, or compressed, as to be less than an inch and * 
quarter through transversely, they are enabled to 
between the reeds like rats. When seen, they are aim®* 
constantly jetting up the tail. Yet, though their fli?“‘ 
among the reeds seems feeble and fluttering, cvct/ 
sportsman who is acquainted with them here must ha'"' 
seen them occ.isionally rising to a considerable keifj'. ’ 
stretching out their legs behind them, and flying rap'dlj 
across the river where it is more than a mile in w id®^ 
Such is the mode of rail shooting in the neighbo®^ 
hood of l*hiladelphia. In Virginia, particularly 
the shores of James River within the tide water, 
the rail, or .sora, are in prodigious numbers, tliey ® j 
also shot on the w'iug, but more usually taken at ji 
in the following manner : A kind of iron grate is 
