UALLID^— THE RAILS, GALLINULE3, AXD COOTS. 93 



We have not at hand the required m<aterial for defining the 

 exact Hmits of the genus Porznna, so far as its American repre- 

 sentatives are concerned. Without, therefore, considering any 

 of the exti-alimital species, it may suffice to s&y that of the 

 three which occur in Nortii America, one (P. Carolina) is a very 

 near relative of the type of the genus {P. porzana of Europe), 

 while the other two are perhaps sufficiently different to justify 

 generic separation. The three species which occur in eastern 

 North America may be distinguished as follows: 



A. Above russet-olive, with blacic blotches ami irregular, partly longitudinal, streaks of 



white. (Porzana.) 



1. P. Carolina. Neek and breast without white specks; throat blackish, and sides of 



head and neck plumbeous in adult; throat white, sides of head and neck, with 

 chest and breast, fulvous-olive, in young; flanks broadly barred with white and 

 slate-color. Wing. 4.1n-4.:i0: culmen. .7.')-.9(i; tarsus. 1.25-].;»; middle toe, 1.30- 

 1.45. Ua\i. North and Middle America. 



B. Above ochraceous, with broad black stripes and narrow transverse wliite bars; sec- 



ondaries white, forming a conspicuous patch on the extended wing. (Cotiimi- 

 cops.) 



2. P. noveboraoensis. Head, neek, and breast ochraceous; flanks dusky, barred with 



whitish; crissum cinnamon; lining of wing and axillars white. Wing, a.OO-U.CO; 

 culmen, ..'lO-.eO; tarsus, .95-1.00; middle toe, .90-1.01). Ilah. North America. 



C. Above blackish brown, speckled with white. ICrecisru.t.) 



3. P. jamaicensis. Nape dusky chestnut or sepia-brown; lower parts slate-color or 



dark plumbeous (the (hroat sometimes whitish), the posterior portions narrowly 

 barred with white. Wing, a. 50-3. 20; culmen, .5U-.G0; tarsus, .75-.90; middle toe, 

 .85-.95. JIah. Temperate and tropical America. 



Porzana Carolina (Linn.) 



SORA, 



Popular synonTms, Bora Rail; Carolina Rail; Common Rail; Ortolan (Potomac River). 

 Uallus rarolinua LiNN. S. N ed. 10, i, 17.'.8, 151); ed. 12, i, 1766, 263. -Sw. & Rich. F. B.-A. 

 ii, 1S!1,403.— Aoi). Orn, Biog. iii. IS-^iS, 2J1 ; v, 1833, 572, pi. 2:!:). 

 Balliis iCrex) carolinns Bonap. Obs. Wlls. 1825, No. 230.— Nutt. Man. ii, 1831. 209. 

 (frtuoome.tra Carolina BoNAP. List. 1838. ,■>:!.— AUD. Synop. 1839. 213; B. Am. v, 1842, 14.1, 



pi. 306. 

 Porzana Carolina Cass, in Baird's B. N. Am. l&W, 749.— Baibd, Cat. N. Am. B. No, 

 .15.5.— COUES. Key. 1872. 273; Check List. 1873. No. 468; 2d ed. 1882. No. 679; Birds 

 N. W. 1871. .i:!8.— BiDow. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 574; Man. N. Am. B., 1887, 139.— 

 A. O. U., Check List, 188ii, No. 214. 

 Hab. The whole of temperate North America, but most common in the Eastern Prov- 

 ince; West Indies in general; whole of Middle America, south to Colombia and Venezuela; 

 accidental in Oreenland and Europe; Bermudas (numerous in migrations). Breeds chiefly 

 In the northern partH of Its range. 



