RAIN-BIRD—RASORES 765 
whole the fallidx constitute a group of birds which, particu- 
larly as regards their relations to some other remarkable forms, 
of which the SuN-BITTERN, Ewurypyga, and Kacu, Rhinochetus, 
may especially be named, well deserve greater attention from the 
systematist, and any ornithologist in want of a subject could 
hardly find one more likely to reward his labours if he were only 
to carry them out in a judicious way. Based on the safe ground 
of anatomy, but due regard being also had to the external 
characters, habits and other peculiarities of this multifarious 
group, a monograph might be produced of surpassing interest, and 
one that in its bearings on the doctrine of evolution would be 
likely to prove a telling record.+ 
RAIN-BIRD, RAIN-GOOSE and RAIN-QUAIL, the first 
applied in England locally to the Green WoopPECKER, but in 
Jamaica to Cuckows of the genera Piaya and Saurothera; the 
second in Orkney to the Divers, and preferably to Colymbus septen- 
trionalis ; the third in India to Coturnix coromandelica, because of its 
abundance in some parts of the country during the rainy season ; 
but the others seem to be used because the birds in question are 
supposed to predict rain by their frequent cries. 
RAPACES, RAPTATORES, RAPTORES, names proposed 
for the Order containing the Birds-of-Prey (both diurnal and 
nocturnal), and therefore nearly equivalent to the ACCIPITRES of 
. Linneus. The first was conferred in 1777 by Scopoli (Introd. 
Hist. Nat. p. 478), and included the genera Strix, Falco, Vultur, 
Buceros and Lhamphastos. 'Temminck adopted it, properly exclud- 
ing the last two, and gave it currency. The second name was 
invented in 1811 by Illiger (Prodr. System. p. 194), who so termed 
his Third Order, consisting of the genera Striz, Falco, Gypogeranus, 
Gypaetus, Vultur and Cathartes; and the third, being only a gram- 
matical alteration of the second, by Vigors in 1823 (Zrans. Linn. 
Soc. xiv. p. 405, note). No one of the three is used by the latest 
taxonomers of repute. 
RASORES, Illiger’s name in 1811 (Prodr. System. p. 195) for 
his Fourth Order, made to contain 5 Families :—(1) Gallinacez, with 
the genera Numida, Meleagris, Penelope, Craz, Opisthocomus, Pavo, 
Phasianus, Gallus, Menura, Tetrao and Perdix; (2) Epollicati, com- 
posed of Ortygis ( = Turnia) and Syrrhaptes ; (3) Columbini, consisting 
Limekin, Aramus, also, though its position is not so decided can hardly be 
kept among the Rails. Mr. W. H. Hudson’s notes on the habits of these 
birds, which he (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1876, pp. 102-109) considers to be Rails, as 
well as others that undoubtedly are so, deserve the best attention. 
1 The most recent revision of the Rallidx is that by Dr. Sharpe (Cat. B. 
Br. Mus. xxiii. pp. 1-228), who has found it necessary to recognize 61 genera, 
