VIRGINIAN RAIL. 
115 
compressed form of body, its aversion to take wing, and the dex- 
terity with which it runs or conceals itself among the grass and 
sedge, it is exactly similar to the common Rail, from which ge- 
nus, notwithstanding the difference of its bill, it ought not to be 
separated. 
This bird is known to some of the inhabitants along the sea 
coast of New Jersey, by the name of the Fresh-water Mud-hen, this 
last being the common appellation of the Clapper Rail, which the 
present species resembles in every thing but size. 1 he epithet 
Fresh-water, is given it because of its frequenting those parts of 
the marsh only where fresh water springs rise through the bogs 
into the salt marshes. In these places it usually constructs its nest, 
one of which, through the active exertions of my friend Mr. Ord, 
while traversing with me the salt marshes of Cape May, we had 
the good fortune to discover. It was built in the bottom of a tuft 
of grass, in the midst of an almost impenetrable quagmire, and 
was composed altogether of old wet grass and rushes. The eggs 
had been floated out of the nest by an extraordinary rise of the 
tide in a violent north-east storm, and lay scattered about among 
the drift weed. The female, however, still lingered near the spot, 
to which she was so attached as to suffer herself to be taken by 
hand. She doubtless intended to repair her nest, and commence 
laying anew ; as during the few hours that she was in our posses- 
sion she laid one egg, corresponding in all respects with the others. 
On examining those floated out of the nest they contained young, 
perfectly formed, but dead. The usual number of eggs is from 
six to ten. They are shaped like those of the domestic hen, mea- 
suring one inch and two-tenths long, by very nearly half an inch 
in width ; and are of a dirty white or pale cream color, sprinkled 
with specks of reddish and pale purple, most numerous near the 
great end. They commence laying early in May, and probably 
raise two brood in the season. I suspect this from the circum- 
stance of Mr. Ord having, late in the month of July, brought me 
