BALLID^ — EALLINJE : RAILS. 671 



with short broad nasal fossae, and linear-oblong nostrils — altogether somewhat as in gallina- 

 ceous birds. The cubnen more or less obviously parts autial extension of the frontal feathers, 

 but never forms a frontal shield, as in the Coots and Gallinules. Of about 35 American species 

 or varieties only 10 occur in this country, to which must be added one straggler from Europe. 

 There are some 25 Old World species. 



The Riiils inhabit all temperate countries; they are remarkably distinguished by the 

 extreme narrowmess or compression of the body, which enables them to thread a way through 

 the closest reeds and rushes of the marshes where they always live. Instead of long, flat, 

 pointed, narrow wings, with flowing tertials, characteristic of tlie great Plover-snipe group, 

 they have short, concave, rounded wings, and their flight is ccmsequeutly of a diff'erent sort. 

 Tliey are neither swift nor vigorous on wing. When flushed, a matter of some difficulty, 

 they fly in so feeble and vague a way that it is not very easy to understand how they make 

 the extensive migrations for which, nevertheless, they are noted. The legs, as well as more 

 particularly the feet, are large and strong; the thighs extremely muscular; they trust rather 

 to these members than to their wings in avoiding pursuit or escaping danger ; probably no 

 birds are more accomplished pedestrians than they are. There is generally, if not always, a 

 slight membrane between the base of the toes, but nothing amounting even to semipalmatiou ; 

 nevertheless, some of the species swim short distances with ease. While not exactly grega- 

 rious, since they do not go in flocks that are actuated by a connnon impulse and the instinct of 

 socialism, nevertheless they frequent, thi-ough community of tastes and wants, the marshes 

 in immense numbers ; where they breed, and where they appear during the migration, par- 

 ticularly the autumnal, the marshes appear full-stocked with them. Their cries are loud, 

 dry, and harsh; in the spring-time the marshes resound. They scream piteously M'hen 

 wounded and caught, and fight as well as they can with their strong claws. Their food 

 consists of all sorts of aquatic animals small enough to be swallowed — little crabs, snails, 

 and other small moUusks, grubs, worms, and insects. They probably aU live at times, and 

 in a measure at least, upon the seeds and tender shoots of aquatic plants. They lay many 

 white or whitish, much-spotted, oval or elliptical eggs, in a rude flat nest, built of sticks, 

 rush-stalks, and grasses, upon the ground. The young, of which more than one brood may 

 l)e annually raised, are generally black in the downy state, whatever the color of the adults. 

 They appear to be of somewhat nocturnal habits, and probably migrate mostly by night. 

 The flesh of some of our species is esteemed good eating, and great numbers are annually 

 destroyed for the table, in the fall, when they are generally very fat. 

 271. RAL'LUS. (Low Lat. rctllus, a rail, from rasle, rdle, a rattling cry.) Rails. Marsh Hens. 

 Bill longer than head, slender, compressed, decurved, with long nasal groove extending beyond 

 middle of bill. Nostrils linear, sub-basal. Hind toe not half as long as tarsus. Wings, tail, 

 and legs as in Rallince at large. Plumage variegated above, plain below, excepting the con- 

 spicuously barred flanks, and lining of wings and tail. Sexes alike ; young little different. 

 Swamps and marshes exclusively. Eggs numerous, buff" and spotted. Very clamorous in 

 breeding season. We have 3 good species, one of them of 3 varieties. 

 Analysis of Species and Varieties. 

 Large : length 12.00 or more ; wing 5.00 or more ; bill 2.00 or more. 



Flanks gray, with narrow white bars. Above, olive-brown or olive-gray without chestnut on 

 wings ; below, pale rufous or ashy. 



Ujjpcr parts olive-brown obscurely varied with olive-gray edges of the feathers; below with 

 little rufous. Atlantic crepitans 673 



Upper parts olive-gray, with obscure dark stripes below, breast quite rufous. Pacific obsoletus 674 



Upper parts olive-gray with distinct dark stripes ; below dull rufous. Gulf .... saturatus 675 

 Flanks dusky, with broad white bars. Above, variegated with olive-brown and blackish ; wing- 

 coverts quite chestnut ; below, rich rufous ekgans 67G 



Small: length under 12.00; wing under 4.50; bill under 1.00. 



Colors as in ekgans virginianus 677 



