1. Rallus elegans. 



Rallus crepitans [nee Gm.), Wils. Amer. Oni. vii. p. 112, pi. Ixii. 

 fig. 2* (1814); Jard. ed. Wils. Amer. Orn. iii. p. 16, pi. Ixii. 

 fig. 2 (1832) ; Reichenb. Saiidb., FulicaricB, Taf. cxv. figs. 1150-51 



Rallus elegans, Aiidub. B. Amer. pi. cciii. (c. 1826) ; id. Orn. Biogr. 

 iii. p. 27 (1835) ; Bp. Cotnp. list B. Eur. l^- N. Amer. p. 53 (1838); 

 Audub. B. Amer. 8vo, v. p. 160, pi. 309 (1842) ; Giraud, B. Long 

 Isl. p. 209 (1844) ; Gray, List Grall<e Brit. Mus. p. 116 (1844) ; 

 id. Gen. B. iii. p. 693 (1846) ; Bj}. C. M. xliii. p. 598 (1856) ; 

 Gmidl J. f. O. 1856, p. 427 (Cuba : breeding) ; Bnird, B. N. 

 Amer. p. 746 (1858) ; Dresser, Ibis, 1866, p. 40 (Texas) ; Later. 

 Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii. p. 295 (1866) ; Coues, Proc. Essex Inst. v. 

 p. 296 (1868 : Connecticut) ; id. Proc. Bost. Soc. N. H. xii. p. 124 

 (1868: S. Carolina); 8cl. i^f Salv. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 444 ; Turnb. 

 B. E. Pennsylv. p. 33 (1869) ; Allen, Bull. Mus. C. Z. ii. p. 357 

 (1871) ; Coues, Key N.Amer. B. p. 273 (1872) ; Snow, B. Karisas, 

 p. 10 (1873); Coues, B. N.-West, p. 535 (1874); Gundl. Orn. 

 Cuba, p. 298 (1876) ; Mayn. B. E. N. Amer. p. 428 (1879) ; 

 Bidffiv. Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. iii. p. 201 (1880) ; id. Bull. Kutt. Club, 

 V. p. 139 (1880) ; Coues, Check-list N. Amer. B. p. 109 (1882) ; 

 Stearns, N. Engl. B.-Life, ii. p. 282 (1883) ; Baird, Breioer, <§• 

 Ridgw. Water-B. N. Amer.l p. 353 (1884) ; Coues, Key N. Amer. 

 B. 2nd ed, p. 672 (1884) ; Talbot, Auk, i. p. 97 (1884: Dakota) ; 

 Agersb. Auk,n. p. 287 (1885 : S.E. Dakota) ; A. 0. U. Check-l. X. 

 Amer. B. p. 140 (1886) ; Ridgw. Mati. N. Am. B. p. 138 (1887) ; 

 Lloyd, Auk, iv. p. 299 (1887 : W. Texas) ; Richmond, Auk, v. 

 p. 20 (1888 : Distr. Columbia) ; Cory, t. c. p. 53 ; Butcher, t. c. 

 p. 176 (Long I>l;ind) ; Chapm. t. c. p. 269 (Florida); Cory, B. 

 West Ind. p.' 253 (1889: Cuba); Thomps. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 

 xiii. p. 494 (1890: Manitoba); Miller, Auk, ix. p. 39 (1892: 

 Mass.) ; Scott, t. c. p. 212 (Florida). 

 Aranius elegans, Gi-ay, Hand-l. B. iii. p. 59, no. 10417 (1871). 



Adult malt. General colour above olive-brown, with longitudinal 

 black centres to the feathers ; scapulars like the back ; lower back, 

 rump, and upper tail-coverts rather more unifoiin and less olive- 

 brown, the black centres to the feathers not being so distinct ; wing- 

 coverts rufous, inner ones washed with olivaceous ; bastard wing- 

 feathers sepia-brown, rufescent on the outer web ; primary-coverts 

 uniform sepia ; quills sepia-brown, edged with lighter brown ; the 

 innermost secondaries ruddy olive, with black centres like the back; 

 tail-feathers olive-brown, with longitudinal black centres ; crown of 

 head and hind neck uniform blackish brown, with very slight 

 remains of lighter brown edges to the latter; lores dull ashy, as 

 also the sides of the face ; a supraloral streak of ciunamon-bufF, con- 

 tinued into an indistinct eyebrow of dusky cinnamon ; a whitish 

 spot below the eye ; ear-coverts dull ashy, tinged with cinnamon, 



* Dr. Coues and other American ornithologists quote the figure, but not the 

 description of Wilson, as referring to the King Rail. Of the two, the figure is 

 the least satisfactory ; whereas there can surely be no doubt as to the descrip- 

 tion — " Wing-coverts are chestnut." 



