of the United States. 335 



Rail, Rallus carolinus, (virginianus) Wils. Am. Om. vi. 

 p. 24.pl. 48. Jig. 2. male. 



Inhabits at proper seasons throughout North, and in South 

 America: very common during summer and part of the 

 autumn in the middle states : wintering in tropical America. 



273. Rallus noveboracensis, Nob. Black, skirted with rusty, 

 all over with transverse white lines ; beneath yellowish-rusty; 

 lower wing coverts pure white. 



Female and young duller, less lineated. 



Yellow-breasted Rail, Rallus noveboracensis, Nob. Am. 

 Om. Hi. pi. 24. Fulica noveboracensis, Gm. Gallinula nove- 

 boracensis, Lath. Rallus rujicollis, Vieill. Gal. des Ois* 

 pi. 266. bad Jig. Perdix hudsonica? Lath. 



Inhabits throughout North America : rare : found in the 

 neighbourhood of New- York, the western states, and on the 

 remotest limits of the North-western territories. 



57. GALLINULA. 



Gallinula, Briss. Lath. Cuv. Temm. Ranz. Fulica, L. 

 Gm. Crex, III. Hydrogallina, Lacepede. Gallinula, Por- 

 phyrio, Vieill. 



Bill shorter than the head, rather stout, much higher than 

 wide, tapering, compressed, straight, convex at the point; both 

 mandibles furrowed ; upper covering the margins of the lower, 

 inclined at the point, the base spreading into a naked mem- 

 brane covering the forehead ; lower navicular ; nostrils in the 

 furrow, medial, lateral, oblong, pervious, half closed by a 

 turgid membrane : tongue moderate, compressed, entire. 

 Anterior toes extremely long, flattened beneath, bordered 

 by a narrow membrane ; hind toe bearing on the ground 

 with several joints : nails compressed, subarched, rather 

 acute. Wings concave, rounded ; first primary shorter than 

 the fifth ; second and third longest. Tail short, hardly ap- 

 pearing from under the coverts. 



