44 V I R G I N I A N RAIL.
between the genera Rallus and Crex, as they partake of the habits of
both. When pursued, the Virginian Rail is, with great difficulty, put
up, as I have already mentioned, but when it is once on wing it may be
shot by a very ordinary gunner. It rises without noise, flies off with its
legs dangling and its neck stretched out, but seldom proceeds farther
than twenty or thirty yards at a time, unless when it has a stream to
cross, or during its migrations. • Like all the other species with which I
am acquainted, it feeds both by day and by night. Its food consists of
small slugs, snails, aquatic insects, worms, Crustacea, and the seeds of
those grasses which grow in salt or fresh water marshes, in either of which
they reside and even breed. I have not been able to ascertain whether
they lay more than once in the season; but, on account of the comparatively
small number of this species, I am inclined to suppose that they
seldom raise more than one brood, unless their eggs have been destroyed,
whether by inundation or otherwise.
The Virginian Rail is not without enemies; and, although it manifests
a good deal of courage, and at times acts towards the Marsh Hawk
in the same manner as the Rallus crepitans, it seldom succeeds in its attempts,
and on several occasions I have seen that bird seize them as they
attempted to strike it with their bill and claws for the purpose of driving
it away. The minx, the garfish, the snapping turtle, and sometimes eels,
destroy them, as well as the Sora Rail.
Whilst at Charleston in South Carolina, I frequently saw little strings
of these birds exposed in the market, at a very low price; and they are
excellent eating during autumn and winter. Their comparative scarcity,
however, prevents the gunner from searching after them with the same
eagerness as he pursues the Rallus crepitans, and to shoot a dozen in the
course of a day may be considered a remarkable feat. In that country,
during the latter part of autumn, and in winter, they are usually met with
in the salt-marshes bordering the estuaries of large rivers.
Like the two preceding species, the Virginian Rail has the power of
contracting its body to enable it to pass with more ease between the stalks
of strong grasses or other plants. When observed unseen, it frequently
jerks the tail upwards, in the manner of Gallinules, but the moment it
notices any one of its enemies, it droops the tail, lowers its head, and runs
off with the quickness of thought.
The young of this species are at first of a black colour, like that of
Rallus crepitans and R. elegans; but, like those of the latter, attain the
V I R G I N I A N RAIL. 45
rufous hue of the parent birds before the commencement of winter, although
they increase in size and improve in the depth of their tints probably
for several years.
RALLUS VIRGIXIANUS, Linn, Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 263—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of
Birds of the United States, p. 334.
RALLUS AQUATICUS, var. Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 755.
VIRGINIAN RAIL, RALLUS VIRGINIANUS, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. vii. p. 109. pL 62.
fig. 2.
LESSER CLAPPER RAIL, Nuttall, Manual, voL ii. p. 205.
Adult Male. Plate CCV. Fig. 1.
Bill longer than the head, slender, compressed, slightly curved, deep
at the base. Upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly curved, the
ridge flattish at the base, and extending a little on the forehead, convex
and narrow towards the end ; a deep groove runs on either side parallel
to the ridge for two-thirds of the whole length ; the edges inflected, with
a very slight notch close to the tip. Nostrils lateral, linear, direct, open
and pervious. Lower mandible with the angle very long, extremely narrow,
the sides erect, slightly convex, the edges inflected, the tip narrowed,
the dorsal and marginal outlines slightly arched.
Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long. Body
slender, much compressed. Feet rather long; tibia bare a considerable
way above the joint; tarsus of ordinary length, compressed, anteriorly
covered with broad scutella, posteriorly with smaller, and on the sides reticulated.
Hind toe very small and slender, middle toe longest, fourth
considerably shorter, and but little longer than the second; toes free, scutellate
above, compressed, granulate beneath. Claws of moderate length,
arched, slender, much compressed, acute, flat and marginate beneath.
Plumage rather stiff, compact, slightly glossed on the back. Feathers
of the head and neck short and blended ; of the forehead with the shaft
enlarged and extended beyond the tip. Wings very short and broad;
alula large ; primaries curved, broad, tapering, but obtuse, third longest,
second very little shorter, first and sixth about equal ; secondaries broad
and rounded. Tail extremely short, much rounded, of twelve feeble
rounded feathers ; the upper and lower tail-coverts nearly as long as the
tail-feathers.
Bill dark brown, the lower mandible and edges of upper yellowish