BALL1D&. 



Suborder FULICASIM 



Schizognfltboufl and holorhinal birds vvitli heterocoelous vertebrae, 

 and 14 or 15 cervical vertebrae. The sternum has a single notch 

 on each side of the posterior margin. Oil-gland tufted. Caeca 

 well-developed. Besides the ambiens, the femoro-caudal, accessory 

 femoro-caudal, and subtendinosus muscles are always present ; the 

 accessory subtendinosus is found in llallidcK, not in Heliornitlddce. 



Key to the Families. 



Rectrices 10 to 14, usually 12 ; an aftershaft present . Rallidae, p. 157. 



Rectrices 18 ; no aftershaft Heliornithidae, 



[p. 181. 



Tamily KALLID^E. 



The Rails, Crakes, and Coots constitute this family and have 

 numerous representatives in India. They are marsh-birds in 

 general, living amongst reeds or grass, and are such adepts in 

 running through thick vegetation, a proceeding which is facilitated 

 by their slender narrow build, and in hiding, that their presence is 

 often unsuspected until they are betrayed by their voice. Owing 

 to their skulking habits, the range of some of the Indian species is 

 still imperfectly known. 



In this family the sternum much resembles in form that of 

 Turnix, and has a similar deep notch on each side. There is a 

 small aftershaft to the contour feathers, and the fifth secondary is 

 absent. There are long lateral bare tracts on the neck. The deep 

 flexor tendons are Gralline that is to say, the /. longus hallucig 

 supplies the hallux and the /. perforans digitorum the other three 

 digits, but the two are connected by a vincultim passing from the 

 first-named to the second. 



The food is in most forms chiefly vegetable, consisting of various 

 water-plants, seeds, &c., but in addition most of the species live on 

 molluscs, on insects and their larvae, and on small crustaceans. 

 Asa rule, the eggs are numerous and are laid in a coarse, roughly 

 built nest of grass, rushes, and similar substances. The young are 

 hatched covered with down, very often of a black colour, and are 

 able to run or swim within a few hours. 



Key * to the Genera. 



a. Bill from gape as long as the tarsus or longer. 



a'. No white markings on back ; bill slender. RALLUS, p. 158. 



6'. Back with white bars or spots ; bill stouter. HYPOTJENIDIA, p. 160. 



* As in some other cases, this Key only applies to Indian specie?. 



