YELLOW-BREASTED RAIL. 
153 
near Vincennes, on the Wabash river, in summer, when they had young 
broods. In the course of my stay at the Silver Springs in East Florida, I 
observed a good number of these birds along the margins of the lakes and 
swampy bayous, and had ample opportunities of assuring myself that this 
species is far from being nocturnal, as authors have alleged, at least when in 
places where they are under no apprehension of danger. In those sultry 
solitudes I have at times seen them following the margins of the muddy 
shores, with delicate and measured steps, until attracted by something 
worthy of their attention, when they suddenly jerked their tail upwards and 
for a moment disappeared. Again, they would gracefully leap upon the 
slender twigs of some low shrub or bush, apparently in search of small snails 
or other objects, jerking their tails at every movement. There it was that I 
again saw the extraordinary power of contraction which their body is able 
to assume while they are pushing forward between two or more stubborn 
branches. They were all so gentle that I at times approached within a 
few yards of them, when they would now and then look cunningly at me, 
rise more erect for a moment, and then resume their occupations. 
When searched for by a dog, they seem as if determined to put him out by 
continual manoeuvring, running and cutting backwards within a few yards 
of extent until the dog can no long follow the last trail. Just then they 
rise on wing, or run off to some other spot equally adapted for security. A 
friend of mine who resides in New Orleans, and has shot some hundreds of 
this species, told me that the best method of obtaining a shot is to lie con- 
cealed near an opening in the grass, and call the bird out of cover by imitat- 
ing its notes, when in a few minutes, being extremely pugnacious, it comes 
to the clear space, and may be easily shot. Its flesh is delicate and savoury. 
The nest somewhat resembles that of Rallus elegans. It is generally 
placed upon the ground in the centre' of a thick tuft of grass, and the bed of 
it is at times elevated above the soil to the height of four or five inches. It 
is composed of weeds of various kinds, and is now and then covered over in 
the same manner as that of our Meadow Lark. The eggs are from eight to 
ten, pure white, thin-shelled, and measure 1} inches by nearly seven-eighths. 
The young are at first black, and are able to follow their parents almost 
immediately after birth. I am induced to believe that two, or perhaps 
three, broods are reared in the season. 
The flight of this pretty little bird is rather swift, and more protracted 
than that of some of our Rails, especially when put up by a dog coming in- 
advertently upon it. At other times, when in places not frequented, it rises 
and removes to a distance rarely exceeding thirty or forty yards, falling as it 
were among the grass with wings stretched upwards and dangling legs. The 
gizzard is large and muscular, as in the Water-hen and our other Rails. 
