170 GRALLATORES. RALLUS. 



tended, and assumes the form of large scalloped lobes; a 

 structure that induced former systematists, in their artificial 

 arrangement, to establish a separate order for its reception, 

 and that of some other birds, to appearance not intimately 

 connected, as the Phalaropes and Grebes ; the first of which 

 belong to the Scolopacidce, the other to the Order Natatores, 

 and included in the Family of the ColymUdce. In Britain, 

 the members belonging to this family are few ; consequently 

 many links of the chain that connect the various groups with 

 each other are wanting. The plumage of most of the Rallidce 

 is soft, and loose in texture ; their wings, with few excep- 

 tions, are short and rounded, generally armed with one or 

 more spurs near the first flexure of the wing (more or less 

 developed in the different genera), and they fly in a heavy 

 and awkward manner ; many of them, indeed, shewing a 

 great unwillingness to take flight. They feed on aquatic 

 herbs, grasses, and their seeds, as well as worms, insects, 

 arid molluscae. They generally make a large nest, and lay 

 several eggs ; in which character they resemble not only the 

 gallinaceous birds of the rasorial order, but also the Anatidce 

 of the Order Natatores. 



GENUS RALLUS, AUCT. RAIL. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill longer than the head, rather slender, compressed at 

 the base, with the tip cylindrical and slightly incurved ; up- 

 per mandible sulcated for two- thirds of its length, the under 

 one strait, and the angle very small. 



Nostrils pierced in a membrane, and situated in the fur- 

 row of the bill at a short distance from the base ; linear and 

 pervious. 



Tongue narrow, compressed, having a fibrous tip. 



Wings short, with the first quill feather much shorter than 



