Solution of the ‘ Ornithological Mystery.’ — I was much pleased to read 
Mr. Brewster’s article, ‘ An Ornithological Mystery,’ in the October number 
of ‘ The Auk,’ as I feel certain I can help to solve it, as I myself had a bird 
which answers exactly to the description of the Yellow Rail ( Porzana 
noveboracensis ). 
On Sept. 13, 1900, while in Mr. Hope’s bird store, Queen St., Toronto, he 
told me he had a live rail for me, and when I saw it I was delighted to find 
it was a Yellow Rail, which. had been taken by a man on the Humber 
River (particulars unknown). I had a cage made for him, 24 by ii feet, 
with a metal bottom, in which I kept sand and about half an inch of water’ 
with some aquatic plants, which I thought would be suitable for my new 
friend. 
made no attempt at flying. Mr. Brewster speaks of ‘ the Mystery ’ as the 
‘ Kicker ’’ whi le the female portion of my household christened my bird 
‘ the Scold -’ 1 kepi th e cage on the kitchen floor and he would invariably 
scold the first person who went into the room in the morning, and if any 
of their skirts brushed up against the cage he would be sure to scold them 
with his familiar call kik-kik-kik-kik-queak. If we went into the room 
at night and lighted the gas and surprised him he would use the longer 
call, kik-kik-kik-kik-kik-kik-kik-kik-ki-queah ; and on two occasions, when 
he was at ease he uttered a note exactly like the Indigo Bunting’s chip. 
I fed him on boiled eggs and prepared mockingbird food, and a few meal 
worms. 
One evening about the last week in December, 1900, while I was watch- 
ing him bathe, evening being his favorite time for bathing, the poor little 
fellow’s head dropped over the side of the bath, and after a few convulsive 
twitches he was dead. I had not time to make him into a skin, so sent him 
to a taxidermist, who unfortunately did not take the sex. — J H Ames 
Toronto, Ontario. Auk, XIX, Jan., 1902, p ^ ’ 
