380 FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ZOOLOGY, VOL. IX. 



Genus ARAMUS Vieill. 



93. Aramus vociferus (LATHAM). 



LIMPKIN. 



Aramus giganteus (Bonap.), A. O. U. Check List, 1895, p. 76. 



Distr.: Both coasts of Central America and Mexico to the Rio 

 Grande, also the Greater Antilles; common in Florida. 



Adult: General plumage, dark olive brown, striped with white, 

 the stripes on the body being much heavier than those on the head 

 and neck; wing and tail showing bronzy reflections when held in the 

 light; under mandible, slightly twisted near the tip. 



Length, 27.50; wing, 13; tarsus, 4.35; bill, 4.50. 



I include this species upon the authority of Mr. Isaac E. Hess 

 who writes me: "A limpkin was taken here (Philo, Champaign Co., 

 111. ) in 1896. I have the wings of this bird yet." This is apparently 

 the only record for Illinois and far north of its usual range. It must 

 of course, be considered an accidental straggler within our limits. 



Family RALLID^. Rails, Gallinules, 

 Coots, etc. 



A large family, nearly 200 species, being known throughout the 

 world, 17 of which occur in North America. They frequent the 

 marshes and grassy edges of ponds and rivers. Their food consists 

 principally of aquatic animals and vegetable substances, seeds, etc. 

 Among the true rails, the power of flight is not strong and they rarely 

 take wing unless forced to do so, preferring to run and hide in the grass 

 and weeds to escape danger. 



The Coots, belonging to the subfamily Fulicina, although ana- 

 tomically allied to the true rails, are very different in appearance and 

 habits. They often gather in large flocks and swim about in open 

 water, at a distance resembling flocks of ducks. 



