166 
THE CLAPPER RAIL 
none are to be found in the Middle Districts. Few if any ever go beyond 
Long Island in the State of New York ; at least I have never seen or heard 
of one farther east. Their migrations take place under night, and in perfect 
silence ; but the moment they arrive at their destination, they announce 
their presence by a continuation of loud cacklings, meant no doubt as an 
expression of their joy. Having studied the habits of these interesting birds 
in the Jerseys, in South Carolina, and in the Floridas, on the maritime 
borders of all of which they breed, I shall here attempt to describe them. 
In these countries, from about the beginning of March to that of April, the 
salt-marshes resound with the cries of the Clapper Rail, which resemble the 
syllables cac, cac, cac, cac, cd, cdha, cdha. The commencement of the cry, 
which is heard quite as frequently during day as by night, is extremely loud 
and rapid, its termination lower and protracted. At the report of a gun, 
when thousands of these birds instantaneously burst forth with their cries, 
you may imagine what an uproar they make. This bird seems to possess 
the power of ventriloquism, for, when several hundred yards off, its voice 
often seems to be issuing from the grass around you. At this period, the 
males are very pugnacious, and combats are rife until each has selected a 
female for the season. The males stand erect and cry aloud the least sound 
they hear, guard their mates, and continue faithfully to protect them until 
the young make their appearance. These come more under the care of the 
mother, who leads them about until they have attained a considerable size, 
and are able to shift for themselves. The nest is large, constructed of marsh 
plants, and fastened to the stems in the midst of the thickest tufts, above 
high-water mark. The materials of which it is formed are so well interlaced 
with the plants around them, as to prevent their being washed away by ex- 
traordinarily high tides, which, however, sometimes carry off and destroy 
the eggs, as well as many of the sitting birds, whose attachment to them is 
so great, that they are now and then drowned while endeavouring to keep 
them safe. The nest is very deep, so that the eggs seem placed in the bot- 
tom of a bowl or funnel. They are from eight to fifteen in number, measure 
an inch and a half in length by one and an eighth in breadth, and have a pale 
buff colour, sparingly sprinkled with light umber and purplish spots. The 
period of incubation is fourteen days. When undisturbed, this species lays 
only one set of eggs in the season; but as the eggs are in request as a delicious 
article of food, they are gathered in great numbers, and I myself have col- 
lected so many as seventy-two dozen in the course of a day. The nest is 
generally open at top, and then is very easily discovered, although some- 
times the reeds are so arranged about them as to conceal them from the 
view. When the birds are sitting, they suffer you to approach within a few 
feet; but, as if aware of your intention, they glide away in silence to some 
