RAIL AND RAIL SHOOTING. 
V (• A (i fi I i 
THE VIRGINIA RAIL. {Rallies Virginianus .) 
(THE SORA RAIL. {Rallus Carolinensis.) 
With the present month commences the pursuit of this 
singular and delicious species of game, and, although as 
a sport it is not to be compared with the bolder and more 
varied interest of shooting over dogs on the upland, still 
the great numbers which are killed, and the rapidity with 
which shot after shot is discharged in succession, render 
Rail-shooting a very favorite pastime, more especially 
with the sportsmen of Philadelphia, in the vicinity of 
which city this curious little bird is found in the greatest 
abundance. 
Of the rallidce , or Rail family, there are many varieties 
in America, all of them more or less aquatic in their habits, 
and none of them being, as the Corncrake, or Land Rail, 
of Europe, purely terrestrial; though the little Yellow- 
Breasted, or New York Rail, Rallus Noveboracencis, ap¬ 
proaches the most nearly to that type, being frequently 
killed in upland stubble or fallow fields. 
The principal of these species, and those most worthy 
of notice, are—the Clapper Rail, or great Salt-Water Rail, 
variously known as the Meadow Hen, or Mud Hen; found 
very extensively along all the tide morasses, and salt 
meadows of the Atlantic coast, but more especially on 
the shores of Long Island, and in New Jersey, at Bar- 
negat and Egg Harbor. This, the scientific name of which 
is Rallus crepitans , is the largest of the species; it is shot 
from row boats in high spring tides, when the water has 
risen so much as to render it impossible for the Rails 
either to escape by running, which they do at other times 
with singular fleetness, baffling the best dogs by the 
celerity with which they pass between the thick-set stalks 
of the reeds and wild oats, constituting their favorite 
covert, or to lurk unseen among the dense herbage. 
This Rail, like all its race, is a slow and heavy flyer, 
flapping awkwardly along with its legs hanging down and 
a laborious flutter of the wings. It is, of course, very 
easily shot, even by a bungler, and there is little or no 
sport in the pursuit, though its flesh is tender and delicate, 
so that it is pursued on that account with some eagerness. 
Second to the Clapper Rail, in size, and infinitely supe¬ 
rior to it in beauty and excellence of flesh, is the King 
Rail, Rallus elegans, which is by far the handsomest of 
the species. It is commonly known as the Fresh-AVater 
Meadow lien, though it is not with us to the northward a 
frequent or familiar visitant, the Delaware river being for 
the most part its northeastern limit, arid very few being 
killed to the eastward of that boundary. A few are found, 
it is true, from time to time, in New Jersey, and it has 
occurred on Long Island, and in the southern part of New 
York, though rather as an exception than as a rule. 
Next to these come the \ T irginia Rail, which is repre¬ 
sented to the right hand of the cut at the head of this 
paper, and the Sora, which accompanies it. 
The Virginia Rail, Rallus Virginianus, notwithstand¬ 
ing its nomenclature, which would seem to indicate its 
peculiar local habitation, is very generally found through¬ 
out the United States, and very far to the northward of 
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