. Frank Forester's Field sports of the United States, and British provinces, of North America . alhnule, both of this same family They are principally Southern birds, though strag-glers ai-e occasionally found in the Middle and EasteiTi are of little worth for the sport which they afford, and stillless f u- the quality of their flesh ; but like many other waterbirds and waders, such as the Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, and the 286 FRANK FORESTERS FIELD SPORTS. like, are usually killed by the sportsman, if encountered in pur-suit of other game, though never made the object o
. Frank Forester's Field sports of the United States, and British provinces, of North America . alhnule, both of this same family They are principally Southern birds, though strag-glers ai-e occasionally found in the Middle and EasteiTi are of little worth for the sport which they afford, and stillless f u- the quality of their flesh ; but like many other waterbirds and waders, such as the Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, and the 286 FRANK FORESTERS FIELD SPORTS. like, are usually killed by the sportsman, if encountered in pur-suit of other game, though never made the object of especialchase. None of these, however, can it be deemed unsportsmanlikeor snobbish to shoot, while in the field, with dogs, as it is to killPigeons, Meadow Larks, Thrushes, or the like, since their hauntsand habits are generally in some sort like game-like, and dogswill, for the most part, draw on them, if not stand them dead. None of tliese, however, require any fuller notice than theabove, and hence I proceed to shooting the Sora Rail on theDelaware, tTPLAND SHOOTING. 287 RAIL ROM the mitldle of August, untilthe setting in of winti-y frosts,the pursuit of this cuiious, and ex-cellent little bird, may be the localities which he fre-(juents, by those who care for thesport.\ It is not by any means compa- f*^ rable to those kinds of shooting,which are followed with dogs in the field, among varied sceneryand diverse accidents of sport; nor is the bird very sporting inits habits, nor is much skill required to shoot him. He is, however, delicious to eat; lie literally abounds on thereedy mud-flats of those rivers which he affects ; and his seasonis one at which there is little or no other occupation for thesportsman. So that, between the epicurean desire for his llesh,the absence of more agreeable and exciting sport, and the veryeasiness of the pursuit, which, to young hands and bad sliots, isa recommendation, the Rail is very eagerly pursued; and dur-ing tho
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