BIRDS — SCOLOPACIDAE — PORZANA JAMAICENSIS. 



749 



Porzana, Vieillot. 

 PORZANA CAROLINA. 



Sora; Common Rail; Ortolan. 



Rallus carolinus, Linn. Syst. ^at. I, 1766, 363.— Doughty 's Cab. N. H. 1, 1830, 206 ; pi. xviii.— Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Ill, 1835, 251 : V, 572 ; pi. 233. 

 Gallinultt Carolina, Lath. Iiid. II, 1790, 711. 

 RaUits {Crex) carolinits, Bon. Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 230.— Nott. Man. II, 1834, 209. 



Ponana cnrolina, .' — Cab. Jour. 1856, 428. 



Orlygometra Carolina, Bon. List, 1838.— Add. Syn. 1839, 213.— Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 145; pi. 306.— Gosse, 



Birds Jam. 1847, 371. 

 Sallus stolidus and melanops, Vieill . 



Figures.- Edwards' Birds, III, pi. 144.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VI, pi. 48, fig. 1.— Add. B. of Am. pi. 233 ; oct. ed. V, 

 pi. 306. 



Sp. Ch. — Space around the base of the bill, extending downwards on the neck before and over the top of the head, black. 

 Male. Upper parts greenish brown, with longitudinal bands of black, and many feathers having narrow stripes of white on 

 their edges. Behind the eye, sides of the neck, and the breast, fine bluish ashy, with circular spots and transverse bands of 

 white on the breast ; middle of the abdomen and under tail coverts white ; sides and flanks with transverse bands of brownish 

 blaek and white. Bill greenish yellow ; legs d\rk green. Female similar, but duller in colors. Young. Without black at the 

 base of the bill or on the neck ; throat dull white ; breast dull yellowish ashy ; upper parts tinged with dull yellow. 



Total length about 85 inches ; wing, 4^ ; tail, 2 inches. 



Hub. — Entire temperate regions of North America. 



The most abundant and most universally known bird of its genus inhabiting the United 

 States, and everywhere known as " the rail." It is especially numerous along the creeks and 

 rivers on the Atlantic during the autumnal migration, when excursions for obtaining it are a 

 favorite amusement of our gunners and sportsmen. 



This bird appears to inhabit the entire temperate regions of North America. Specimens in 

 the present collection from California are precisely identical with others from the banks of the 

 Delaware river. 



List of specimens. 



Creciscus, C a b a n i s . 

 PORZANA JAMAICENSIS. 



Little Blnck Rail. 



Rallus jamaicensis, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 718.— Add. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 359 ; pi. 349. 



Ortygometra jamaicensis, Stephens. — Bon. List, 1838. — Aud. Syn. 1839, 214. — Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 157; 

 pi. 308. 



Porzana jamaicensis, ? 



Creciscus jamaicensis, CiBANis, Jour. 1856, 428. (" Genus distinguished from Porzana by shorter toes.") 



