BALLIDJE. LIX. 135 



/. GRUS, Linnaeus. CRANES. 



1. G. amer/canus, (L.) Ord. WHITE OR WHOOPING 

 CRANE. Adult pure white with black on wings; bare 

 part of head very hairy; young grayish, the head 

 feathered; L. 50; W. 24; T. 9; Ts. 12; B. 6. U. S., 

 rather southerly. 



2. G. canadensis, (L.) Temm. BROWN OR SAND- HILL 

 CRANE. Plumbeous gray, never whitening; head 

 sparsely hairy; smaller. U. S., chiefly S. and W. 



FAMILY LIX. RALLIDJ3. 



(TJie Rails.) 



Birds of medium or small size, with compressed bodies 

 and muscular legs. Wings and tail short. Hind toe 

 short and elevated; front toes very long. Bill various, 

 rather short. Plumage blended. Sexes alike. Species 

 about one hundred and fifty, of most parts of the world. 

 * Forehead feathered ; no frontal plate. (RALLIN^E.) 

 f Bill decurvecl, longer than head. . . . RALLUS, 1. 

 ft Bill straight, shorter than head. . . . PORZANA, 2. 

 ** Forehead covered with a broad, horny, frontal plate. 

 \ Toes scarcely or not lobate. (GALLINTJLIN^E.) 

 a. Nostrils linear; tarsus less than 2. . GALLINTJLA, 3. 

 aa. Nostrils nearly circular; tarsus about 2. PORPHYRIO, 2. 

 tj: Toes lobate, edged with broad flaps. (FULICIN^E.) FULICA, 5. 



/. RALLUS, Linnaeus. RAILS. 



1. R. longirostris, Bodd. CLAPPER RAIL. SALT- 

 WATER MARSH HEN. Olive brown, variegated with 

 ashy; dull reddish brown below; L. 14 to 16; W. 6; T. 

 2^; B. 2^; $ smaller. Salt marshes; rather southerly. 



2. R. elegans, Aud. KING RAIL. FRESH -WATER 

 MARSH HEN. Brownish black, with chestnut below 



