RALLIDiE. — CXLII. 241 



377. RALLUS Linnaeus. (Fr., rale, from its note.) 

 a. Large rails; wing more than 5. 



741. R. loiigirostris Boddaert. Clapper Rail. Salt-water 

 Marsh Hex. Olive brown, variegated with ashy; dull reddish 

 brown below ; little or no distinct chestnut anywhere. L. 14 to 16. 

 W. 6. T. ->\. B. 21. 9 smaller. Salt marshes; common S., 

 N. to Mass. Ours is var. crepitans Gmelin. 



742. R. elegans Audubon. King Rail. Fresh-water 

 Marsh-hex. Brownish black, with bright chestnut below and on 

 wing coverts ; much brighter colored than the last, and larger ; 

 a red, rather than a gray bird. L. 18. W. 7. B. 2^. U. S., 

 in fresh-water marshes, N". to Conn. 



aa. Small rails; wing less than 5. 



743. R. virginianus L. Virginia Rail. Colors exactly as 



in R. elegans; much smaller. L. 10. W. 4. T. 1^. B. li. v - wl ■ 

 N. Am., common E. 



378. PORZANA Vieillot. (Italian name.) 

 a. Secondaries without white. 

 b. Wing more than 4: olive-brown above, striped with black. (Porzana.) 



744. P. Carolina (L.). Carolina Rail. Sora. Olive- 

 brown, streaked ; adult with face and middle line of throat black ; 

 breast slaty gray ; back streaked ; belly barred. L. 9. \V. 4£. 

 T. 2. N. Am., common. 



b. Wings less than 3 J ; dusky, usually speckled with white. (Creciscus 

 Cabanis.) 



745. P. jamaicensis (Gmelin). Black Rail. Blackish, with 

 white markings. L. 51. W. 3. T. li. Tropical Amer. etc., 

 rarely X. to 111. 



aa. Secondaries white. (Coturnicops Bonaparte.) 



746. P. noveboracensia (Gmelin). Yellow Crake. Buffy, 

 blackish-streaked above with white marks, buffy below. L. 6. 

 W. 31. T. U. E. N. Am., not common. (Lat., of New York.) 



379. IONORNIS Reichenbach. (f », violet; g pvis , bird.) 



747. I. martinica (L.). Purple Gallinitle. Olive green; 

 head and lower parts purplish blue ; wings and tail greenish-black ; 

 crissum white; bill mostly red; the shield blue. L. 12. W. 7. 

 T. 3. Tropical Amer., N. to N. E. (From Martinique.) 



380. GALLINULA Brisson. (Dim. of Lat. gallina, hen.) 



748. G. galeata (Lichtenstein). Florida Gallinule. , - 

 Brownish olive above, grayish black on head and below; wings 

 and tail dusky ; bill, frontal shield, and ring around tibia red ; feet 



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