RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. 139 



and A. giganteus of Central America, Mexico, the West Indies, and 

 Florida. They frequent the borders of wooded streams and swamps, 

 and at times the uplands. Their flight is short, and when on the wing 

 their legs dangle below them. Like the Herons, they percli in trees. 

 Their prolonged, melancholy call has won for them the name " Crying- 

 bird." Their usual note is a loud, rather high ivah-ree-ow ; the last 

 syllable is drawn out into a wail, and the effect is most grewsome. 

 Courlans feed to a large extent on land shells {AmpiiUa?'ia), and, as 

 Prof. W. B. Barrows has shown, the tip of the Courlan's bill is some- 

 times turned slightly to one side, an evident result of forcing it into 

 the spiral opening of the shell to extract the animal. 



207. Araxnus giganteus (Bonap.). Limpkin ; Crying-bird ; Cour- 

 LAN. (See Fig. 24.) Ad. — Glos^sy olive-brown, the feathers of the head and 

 neck narrowly, those of the body broadly, striped with white; wings and tail 

 more bronzy. Itn. — Similar, but paler and duller. L., 28'00 ; W., 13-00 ; Tar., 

 4-50; B., 4-25. 



Jianffe. — Central America and Wci^t Indies north to Eio Grande Valley 

 and Florida. 



jVest, of leaves, twigs, etc., in a bush or small tree. Ecjgs., four to seven, 

 pale bufty white, blotched, stained, and speckled with light cinnamon-brown, 

 2-30 X 1-70. 



This is a locally distributed species in Florida. Its general habits 

 are described in the remarks on the family Aramidce. 



Family Eallid^. Rails, Gallinules, and Coots. 



The one hundred and eighty species contained in this family are 

 distributed throughout the greater part of the world, fifteen species 

 inhabiting North America. Rails and Gallinules are not strictly gre- 

 garious, but are generally associated through a community of inter- 

 ests; Coots, liowever, are usually found in flocks. Rails inhabit grassy 

 marshes, in which they seek safety by running or hiding, taking to 

 Aving when pursued only as a last resort.* Their flight is then short 

 and labored, and with dangling legs they soon drop back into cover. 

 Nevertheless, they perform extended migrations, traveling hundreds of 

 miles without resting. Gallinules live near the marshy borders of bodies 

 of water, while the more aquatic Coots resemble some Ducks in habits. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



I. Bill over 1-75. 



A. Cheeks below the eye cinnamon-rufous, like the breast; flanks black 

 barred with white; upper parts ricli olive-brown streaked with black. 



208. King Rail. 



B. Clieek below the eye gray ; flanks generally gray or brownish, barred 

 with white; upper parts generally grayish, streaked with l)lack. 



211. Clapper Rail and races. 



