CLAPPER RAIL. 
105 
bodies of the females, who had perished on or near 
their nests, were strewed along the shore. This last 
circumstance proves how strong the ties of maternal 
affection is in these birds ; for of the great numbers 
which I picked up and opened, not one male was to 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 exception of a spot of white 
on the auriculars, and a streak of the same along the 
side of the breast, belty, 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 possibility of 
being seen. There is generally one or more of these 
from its nest to the water edge, by which it may escape 
unseen ; 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 
shpre, it runs with the neck extended, the tail erect, 
