FLORIDA GALLINULE. 403 



bill is short, or of moderate length in the long-billed Rails, hard, thick 

 dt the base, straight, compressed, entire, curved at the point, and sharp 

 on the edges. The head is small, the neck Avell proportioned ; the body 

 slender and much compressed. The feet are moderate, rather robust, 

 and without exception four-toed : the naked space on the tibia is 'rather 

 limited ; the tarsus not longer, generally shorter than the middle toe, 

 and scutellated : the toes are three before and one behind, remarkably 

 long (the most obvious trait of the family), slender, quite divided, and 

 edged with a decurrent membrane : the hind toe is rather long, articu- 

 lated almost on a level with the others, resting on the ground a good 

 part of its length : the nails are slender, compressed, and acute. The 

 wings rather short, wide, somewhat rounded, concave and tuberculated ; 

 the first primary is not much shorter than the second, the third or 

 fourth being the longest. The tail is short, and of twelve feathers. 



The female is smaller, but otherwise differs little from the other sex : 

 the young often differ from the adults : even those that moult twice in a 

 year do not change their colors in moulting. 



All these birds have very similar habits : they are all solitary ; all 

 fond of concealment and the immediate neighborhood of water : they 

 move nimbly about on marsh plants, walking on the softest mud, and 

 even floating weeds, their characteristic long toes serving admirably 

 the purpose of a broad base. Their food is small animals, seeds and 

 vegetables. They are monogamous, and breed several times in the year : 

 they build their nests on, or close to the water, some being even afloat, 

 and therefore liable to be carried away in floods. The number of eggs 

 varies from five to sixteen, and they are rounded : both sex-cs alternately 

 sit upon them. The young run about under the parental care, and pro- 

 vide for themselves as soon as hatched ; they are remarkably brisk and 

 lively, being born with a thick down of a beautiful velvet black color, 

 whatever else it may finally become. Those that migrate travel by 

 night : owing to their short rounded wings, composed of flaccid feathers, 

 their flight is slow and limited, and by no means rapid, so that they 

 only have recourse to it in the last extremity, when it is performed 

 with the legs banging down in a way peculiar to themselves, and not 

 stretched out as in the other Waders, or drawn up to the belly as in the 

 generality of birds. It is in running that they excel, and Avith their 

 long compressed body they make their way so adroitly and swiftly 

 amongst the grass or weeds, that their pursuers are left far behind. 

 They also swim well, and even dive occasionally when there is necessity 

 for it. Their flight is however rapid when elevated, and fairly started. 

 Their voice is strong but hoarse. Their flesh is well-flavored. 



