KEY TO THE BIRDS. 



B. BIRDS WITH STRONG LEGS AND LONG TOES; SUB- 

 DUED PLUMAGE ; INHABITANTS OF REEDY MARSHES. 



1. General colouring sand-gray, with no reddish tinge. Wings and 



tail dull brown. Bill longer than the head, yellowish brown ; 

 feet the same colour. 



Clapper Kail. See page 245. 



2. General tone streaky and reddish. Above dark brown, plainly 



streaked with olive, a white line from the bill extending over 

 the eye. Throat white. Below bright reddish. Wings dark 

 brown, barred with white. 



Virginia Bail. See page 246. 



3. Bill only three-fourths of an inch long, straight and stout. Above 



olive, brownish, and black, many feathers having white edges, 

 and with black and white barring on the flanks. Breast slate- 

 coloured, with some black on the centre of the throat. Tail 

 dusky brown, darkest in centre and almost pointed. 



Sora. See page 247. 



4. Bill and frontal plate red. Above, head and neck bluish gray, 



back olive-brown, wings and tail dark. Beneath dark gray, 

 grading to white on belly. 



Florida Gallinule. See page 248. 



6. Dark slate above, head and neck almost black. Whole edge of 

 wing and tips of some quills white. Below paler gray ; tail 

 dark brown. Bill flesh-white, with a slight rusty black mark 

 at the tip. Red frontal shield. Feet pale dull green. 



American Coot. See page 249. 



F. LONG-LEGGED, LONG-NECKED, LONG-BILLED, LARGE 

 BIRDS; LIVING IN WOODED SWAMPS. 



1. Above yellowish brown, much streaked and mottled with different 

 shades of brown, from dark to light. Below yellowish white, 

 the feathers edged and striped with brown. Tail brown, small 

 and rounded. Bill yellow, edged with black ; legs yellow- 

 green. 



American Bittern. See page 25O. 



2. Top of head, which is slightly crested, and back, rich greenish 

 black. Back of neck chestnut-brown ; also wing coverts and 

 the edges of some quills. Tail like back. Below muddy 

 yellow, with dark brown patches on sides of breast, and some 

 white around the throat. Bill, eyes, and toes yellow. 



Least Bittern. See page 251. 

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