Brewster on Florida Birds. 
43 
for any sudden noise, like the splash of a paddle in the water or 
the rapping of its handle against the boat, was sure to be instantly 
followed by a piercing kur-r-ee-ow\ kurr-r-ee-ow\ kurr-ee-ow\ 
kr~ow\ kr-ow , from the nearest thicket ; or perhaps several would 
cry out at once as Rails will do on similar occasions. For the 
most part the birds kept closely hidden but at length we discovered 
one feeding on the shore. His motions were precisely similar to 
those of a Rail, as he skirted the oozy brink, lifting and putting 
down his feet with careful deliberation. Occasionally he detected 
and seized a snail, which was quickly swallowed, the motion 
being invariably accompanied by a comical side shake of the bill, 
apparently expressive of satisfaction, though it was perhaps de^ 
signed to remove any particles of mud that may have adhered to 
his unique food. Finally he spied us and walked up the inclined 
trunk of a fallen tree to -its shattered end where he stood for a 
moment tilting his body and jerking up his tail. Then he uttered 
a hoarse rattling cry like the gasp of a person being strangled, at 
the same time shaking his head so violently that his neck seemed 
in imminent danger of dislocation. Just as we were nearly within 
gun-range he took wing, with a shriek that might have been heard 
for half-a-mile. His flight was nearly like a Heron’s, the wings 
being moved slowly and occasionally held motionless during 
intervals of sailing. 
Shortly afterwards another, his mate probably, was detected 
under a palmetto leaf near at hand. In the shadow her form 
was dimly outlined and she stood perfectly motionless, evidently 
relying upon concealment for protection, but her quick eye took 
in every suspicious movement and at length, conscious that she 
was seen, she ran rapidly for a few paces and launched into the 
air, following the course taken by the first. Her fate was, however, 
sealed and the plunge of her heavy body in the water succeeded 
the report of the gun. Carefully laying her on a thwart in the 
boat we paused to admire the soft brown plumage, spotted with 
white and glossed with iridescent green. The light was fading 
in her beautiful hazel eyes and bead-like drops of water rolled 
from her ruffled breast. She was exceedingly heavy and muscu- 
lar and upon spreading her wings I wa.s surprised at their great 
breadth. 
The preceding account will, I trust, illustrate one phase of the 
Courlan’s nature. But I cannot hope to do full justice to the sub- 
