18 
CLAPPER RAIL. 
be found among them ; all were females ! Such as had not 
yet begun to sit probably escaped. These disasters do not 
prevent the survivors from recommencing the work of laying 
and building anew ; and instances have occurred where their 
eggs have been twice destroyed by the sea ; and yet in two 
weeks the eggs and nests seemed as numerous as ever. 
The young of the clapper rail very much resemble those of 
the Virginian rail, except in being larger. On the 10th of 
August, I examined one of these young clapper rails, caught 
among the reeds in the Delaware, and apparently about three 
weeks old ; it was covered with black down, with the excep- 
tion of a spot of white on the auriculars, and a streak of the 
same along the side of the breast, belly, and fore part of the 
thigh ; the legs were of a blackish slate colour ; and the bill 
was marked with a spot of white near the point, and round the 
nostril. These run with great facility among the grass and 
reeds, and are taken with extreme difficulty. 
The whole defence of this species seems to be in the nervous 
vigour of its limbs, and thin compressed form of its body, by 
which it is enabled to pass between the stalks of grass and 
reeds with great rapidity. There are also every where among 
the salt marshes covered ways, under the flat and matted grass, 
through which the rail makes its way like a rat, without a pos- 
sibility of being seen. There is generally one or more of these 
from its nest to the water edge, by which it may escape un- 
seen ; and sometimes, if closely pressed, it will dive to the 
other side of the pond, gut, or inlet, rising and disappearing 
again with the silence and celerity of thought. In smooth 
water it swims tolerably well, but not fast ; sitting high in the 
water, with its neck erect, and striking with great rapidity. 
When on shore, it runs with the neck extended, the tail erect, 
and frequently flirted up. On fair ground, they run nearly as 
fast as a man ; having myself, with great difficulty, caught some 
that were wing-broken. Theiy have also the faculty of remain- 
ing under water for several minutes, clinging close, head down- 
wards, by the roots of the grass. In a long stretch, they fly 
with great velocity, very much in the manner of a duck, with 
