Glass II. R A I L. 4*5 



the irides red : the head, hind part of the neck, 

 the back, and coverts of the wings and tail are 

 black, edged with an olive brown; the bafe of the 

 wing is white; the quil-feathers and fecondaries 

 dufky : the throat, bread, and upper part of the 

 belly are afh-colored : the fides under the wings as 

 far as the rump finely varied with black and white 

 bars. The tail is very friort, confifts of twelve 

 black feathers ; the ends of the two middle tipt with 

 ruft-color; the feathers immediately beneath the tail 

 white. The legs are placed far behind, and* are 

 of a du/ky flefh color. The toes very long, and 

 divided to their very origin; though the feet are not 

 webbed, it takes the water ; will fwim on it with 

 much eafe ; but oftener is obferved to run along 

 the fur face. 



This bird is properly fui generis, agreeing with no 

 other, fo forms a feparate tribe. M. Brijfon and 

 Linnaeus place it with the land Rail, and Mr. 

 Ray with the water hens, which have their peculiar 

 characters, fo very diftinct from the Rail, as to 

 conftitute another genus, as may be obferved in the 

 generical table preceding this clafs. 



K k 2 BILL 



