DIRECTORY TO BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 117 



northern 111. and Oregon. Very rare everywhere. Winters 

 from Fla. south through the West Indies to Guatemala. 

 Breeds in May; migrates south in Sept., north in April. 



a. Land Kails. Crex. 



Small Rails with longer wings than in b, folding nearly 

 to the end of tail, and with shorter legs; live mostly on dry 

 land among herbage. 



1. CORN CRAKE, C. crex. 10.50; bill, .90; Dark brown 

 above mottled with yellowish-brown; upper and under wing 

 coverts, rusty-red; bluish-gray below becoming ashy on 

 throat ; flanks, barred with reddish. Europe and northern 

 Asia; casual in Greenland, Bermuda and eastern N. A. 



B. GALLINULES. Galliiiulidae. 



Birds that inhabit the grassy or reedy borders of fresh- 

 waters with scarcely depressed bodies, but otherwise much 

 like rails under A, b, but the toes are very long and narrow. 

 Bill, shorter than head and with a frontal shield, fig. 134. 

 Somewhat social, occurring in small scattering flocks. 



a. Slaty Gallinules. Gallinula. 



General colors slaty-blue ; bill, not very stout, fig. 133. 



1. FLORIDA GALLINULE, G. galeata. 14.00; bill, 

 1.25; head and neck, dusky; back, bronzy-green ; tail and its 

 middle lower coverts. Fig. 133. 



black, the outer por 

 tion of th clatter 

 white ; tip of bill, yel- 

 low ; remainder, front- 

 al plate and tibia, 

 •ealing-wax red ; feet, 

 greenish, fig. 133. 

 Young, duller, over- 

 washed with reddish 

 above, feathers be- 

 neath tipped with 

 white ; bill and frontal 

 plate greenish. Nest- ^M* B, a. 1. 1-4. 



lings, black glossed with greenish, no frontal plate, bill yel- 



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