KALLIIEE— THE HAILS, GALLINULES, AM) COOTS. 83 



Subordeh RALLI. 

 Family RALLID.ZE.— The Rails, Gallinules, and Coots. 



Chae. Small or medium- sized wading or swimming birds, with compressed body, 

 very long toes, which are sometimes (in tho Coots) lobed along the edges, short, rounded, 

 concave wings, and very muscular t highs. 



The brief diagnosis given above is sufficient to distinguish 

 the Rails, of whatever subfamily, from the Courlans and Cranes, 

 their only near allies. The typical Rails (Rail lure) are of very 

 small to medium size, the typical genus, RaZlus, being charac- 

 terized particularly by a lengthened slender bill, while other gen- 

 era, as Porza/iia and Ofex, have this member comparatively 

 short and thick. The Coots and Gallinules have the base of 

 the culmen continued upon the forehead, where it widens out 

 into a more or less gibbous or expanded plate or frontal shield. 

 The Coots, however, are peculiar in having the toes fringed with 

 scalloped flaps or lateral lobes. 



The three subfamilies occurring in North America may be 

 thus distinguished: 



Rallinae. No frontal process; toes without lateral lobes ; size variable ; bill sometimes 



much elongated. 

 Gallinulinae. A frontal process, as in Fulicincs ; toes without lateral lobes; size large. 

 Fulicinae. A frontal pn ss, aa in Gallinulinae; toes with a lateral lobed margin; size 



large. 



The several subfamilies having thus been defined, the North 

 American genera may be characterized as follows: 



Subfamily RALLINJE.— The Rails. 



A. Bill Blender, equal to or longer than the tarsus. 



1. Rallus. i Page 89.) 



B. Bill stout, doI more than two thirds the tarsus (usually much li 



2. Porzana. Middle toe about equal to or slightly longer than tarsus; base "f gonys 

 ii'. i forming a decided angle; middle of culmen decidedlj d< pressed or concave. 

 (Page 92.) 



3. Crex. Middle toe shorter than tarsus; base ol gonys forming a deoided angle; 

 middle ofoulmen scarce!] appreciably depressed. \ el found In Illinois.) 



Subfamily GALLINULINJE. -The Gallinules. 



i. Ionornis. Nostril small, oval; middle toe shorter than tarsus: toes without I 



of lateral membrane; Inner posterioi fa f tarsus with a single row of large 



quadrate souteUre. 

 ■V Gallinula. Nostril elongated, slit-like : middle toe long* nrltha 



deoided indication of lateral membrane; Im ' tarsus e 



with leveral irregulai ro^i of mall hexagonal 



