RALLUS. RAIL. 



519 



same length as the third, the fourth a little shorter, the sixth 

 about the length of the first. Tail extremely short, arched, 

 much rounded, of twelve very weak, rather broad, rounded 

 feathers. 



The Rails are very intimately allied to the Gallinules and 

 Crakes, from which they differ chiefly in having the bill 

 more elongated and slender, in which respect, on the other 

 hand, they approximate to the Snipes. They inhabit the 

 seedy and grassy margins of lakes and rivers, where they 

 habitually conceal themselves. As in their form and the 

 structure of their digestive organs, they manifest an affinity 

 to the Scolopacinse, on the one hand, and to the Rasores, on 

 the other, so is their food a mixture of that appropriate to 

 each of these families, being composed of worms, mollusca, 

 small Crustacea, insects, and seeds of reeds and other plants. 

 They are capable of swimming, and even of diving on 

 occasion. 



All the species are more or less aquatic, and it is among 

 sedges or reeds that they form their large bulky nest, com- 

 posed chiefly of grass. The eggs are four or five, or some- 

 times more. The young run about, swim, and dive while yet 

 covered with down, and when fledged differ little from the 

 old birds. The females are similar to the males. 



The Rails are separated from the Crakes and Gallinules 



