141 
18654 
Porzana Carolina. 
Middlesex county. Mass, 
* li 
June 10.1 
i 
Nest with six eggs (R.Deane), 
Get. 11. 
Watched one for sometime. It walked slowly along 
the margin of the water continually jerking its tail up¬ 
ward and once flapping its v/ings. When it came to any 
small inlet it usually waded across instead of following 
the shore. 
1867. 
June 4. 
Pound an egg ready for laying in the body of the 
bird. 
Oct. 22. 
Shot one in the branches of a low bush when it 
alighted after being flushed, balancing itself for somo- 
time awkv^adly, with partly spread wings, before it se¬ 
cured a firm footing. 
« 26. 
Watched one for some time it v;alked easily over some 
floating vegetation, with its neck drawn in, jerking its 
tail at every step, and now and then stooping to pick up 
something. When I showed myself it did not appear 
startled although I was within ten yards of it. 
1868. 
Apr. 25, 
One singing in the Brickyard Swamp. 
May 5. 
Saw a male in the act of singing; upon starting him 
he flow only a few rods and began to sing again. 
• 7. 
One singing in the swamps. When flushed it flew 
a few feet and alighted, swimming across a broad ditch as 
gracefully as a Duck, The song of this bird is very 
deceptive seeming to come from a much greater distance tin 
than it really does. The weather was damp and cloudy 
this evening and I hoard at least a dozen birds singing 
June 2 
Pound a nest containing nine eggs built in the top 
of a tussock. 
“ 3. 
Pound a nest containing seven fresh eggs; it was 
raised in a clump of tall grass to the height of about 
twelve inches. 
July 7. 
Heard the ke-ee of this bird to-day. 
Sept. 7. 
Shot a number in the Fresh Pond sv/amps during a rain 
storm. Several of them started like Snipe, drawing up 
their legs, and after flying very swiftly for hundreds 
of yards twisting and doubling, pitched headlong into the 
grass. Others flew in a straight course with the logs 
extended bhind, the head and nock stretched out in front 
looking very like small Ducks. The Virginia Rails acted 
in a similar manner. 
