240 
RAIL. 
on the shores of the Delaware and Schuylkill : they are equally 
fat, and exquisite eating. On the sea coast of New Jersey, 
where these reeds are not to be found, this bird is altogether 
unknown ; though along the marshes of Maurice river, and 
other tributary streams of the Delaware, and wherever the 
reeds abound, the Rail are sure to be found also. Most of 
them leave Pennsylvania before the end of October, and the 
southern states early in November, though numbers linger in 
the warm southern marshes the whole winter. A very worthy 
gentleman, Mr Harrison, who lives in Kittiwan, near a creek 
of that name, on the borders of James river, informed me, 
that, in burning his meadows early in March, they generally 
raise and destroy several of these birds. That the great body 
of these Rail winter in countries beyond the United States, 
is rendered highly probable from their being so frequently 
met with at sea, between our shores and the West India 
islands. A Captain Douglas informed me, that on his voyage 
from St Domingo to Philadelphia, and more than a hundred 
miles from the capes of the Delaware, one night the man at 
the helm was alarmed by a sudden crash on deck that broke 
the glass in the binnacle, and put out the light. On examining 
into the cause, three Rail were found on deck, two of which 
were killed on the spot, and the other died soon after. The 
late Bishop Madison, president of William and Mary College, 
Virginia, assured me, that a Mr Skipwith, for some time our 
consul in Europe, on his return to the United States, when 
upwards of three hundred miles from the capes of the Chesa- 
peake, several Rail, or Soras, I think five or six, came on board, 
and were caught by the people. Mr Skipwith, being well 
acquainted with the bird, assured him that they were the very 
same with those usually killed on James river. I have 
received like assurances from several other gentlemen and 
captains of vessels who have met with these birds between 
the mainland and the islands, so as to leave no doubt on my 
mind of the fact. For why should it be considered incredible 
that a bird which can both swim and dive well, and at pleasure 
8 
