Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1893-10-24
WASHINGTON NIMRODs.
They Are Now After the 1noffsn-
eivo Roed Bird.

Especial Washington Letter

This is a very bad season for English
sparrows to leave their nests in the
Potomac valley. II is now time for
our hotels and restaurants 70 furnish
reed birds To their guests, and, inas-
much as these popular gastronomiC ia
vorites are very dilatory in their south
ern migrations, our markets are sup
piled with alleged reed birds at the ex.
pcnse of the imported sparrOws Ex.
perienced cooks can broil and season
the feathered little Britishers SO that
none but the most sensitive OF epicures
can suspect the difference.
Our sporting men take great pleas.
ure in hunting the genuine reed birds.
Under favorable climatic conditions
they used TO come to us by the tens of
thousands about the middle OF Septem-
ber They remained about three
weeks, and made their nomadic or mi
gratory bones in the marshes. During
the past ten years the Potomac fats
have been walled and filled. creating
an island nearly three miles long and
mile wide, upon the spot where YES
sells used TO go aground, and where
reed birds reveled in rank luxury.
Gradually during the decade the lus-
cious little fellows have learned that
their south-bound popular table d'hote
was being ruined, so they are seeking
fields and pastures new in the Shenan-
doah, Po, Severn and other rivers,
while many OF their iloclSs seek tenn
porary homes along the eastern and
western shores Of Chesapeake bay.
Somaof them travel on southwark 10
the YE4A and James river week or
ten daySearlier than in former years.
Thus the removal of the erstwhile Of
fensive ''flats" in the Potomac, midway
between our wharf line and the vr-
ginia shore, has resulted in greatly re-
ducing the numbers OF our most pop
ular American game birds; while our
markets are filed with base imita-
ton from abroad. Fortunately, how
ever, we do not have topay any GUS
toms duties upon this class of imported
goods.
One of the fraternity OF hunters, n
gray-haired boy who was about sixty
years young, says that the sporting
man of to-day who is after reed birds
and goes hunting about the marshes in
his she'll of boat, intent upon secur-
ing dainty tidbit for his dinner, some-
times sees rising directly in frontof him
short. thin bird OF apparently blush
plumage. II rises in most awkward
fashion, with dangling legs and wings
| tapping Its flight Is so feeble that
one unacquainted with the bird
would suppose II 20 be wounded 1t
pursucs its slow flight for some fifty
yards. and then drops Imply into the
reeds. When it strikes the marsh
however, it is gone. rs wings are
weak, but its legs are strong, and
quickly carry II out of range OF the
sportsman's gun. II does not travel
by either swimming or wading. Its
feet are not webbed, and II cannot
swim. and its legs are not long enough
70 permit of its wading, Its claws or
taions are long and sharp and strong.
II grasps the reeds by these and makes
its way with great rapidity, It's thin
body enabling it to go through the
thick growth almost as though there
was nothing to impede its progress
II you have ever been a hunter or a
reader Of Nimrodic lore, you have seen
or read OF the american rail" That
is ono of the names of this unique
aviary character The man OF learn.
ing, who knows nothing OF pleasures
of lie beyond the walls OF his library
win tell you that it is the DoTaAG
Carolina; but don't you believe it. Its
back is golden brown, varied with
blsc,: and white, the front Of the head
and throat black, and the neck slate
colorcd. II is numerously called the
American rail-" "Carolina crake,'
common rail-" "sora rail-" ''soree, /"
"meadow-chicken" and ''ortolan-"
II Is game bird aud table delicacy
under any or all OF these names. il is
distinctly a marsh bird. IL lives and
loves in the marshes. Its name in this
locality is 'sora," but it is loved by
sporting men of several latitudes by the
names given above. IL Is a bird OF ma
tioual reputation, breeding throughout