NESTLINGS OF FOREST AND MARSH 
meridian^ and the cool shadows gathering 
beneath the tall rice warned us that the day 
was waning, when suddenly the long silence 
was broken by the same 
peculiar noises as before. 
Confused as to the direction 
of their source, we knew not 
where to look, when on a 
point of rush-covered mud 
flat that separated two chan- 
nels, we saw five or six tiny 
downy chicks of a glossy 
black, with funny 
large feet and necks 
too long for their 
fat little bodies. 
Otherwise they 
looked exactly like 
bantam babies, and 
ran about in the 
same lively fash- 
ion as their farm- 
yard cousins, while 
A baby rail a continual ‘^peep- 
138 
