278 GRALL^E. RALLID.E. 



their powers in swimming, they are found to 

 deviate from all the remaining groups of the 

 Order. They thus become an aberrant Family, 

 and lead directly to the succeeding Order of Na- 

 tatores [the Anseres of LINN]." * 



Not less interesting are the remarks of Mr. 

 Swainson on the same subject, especially as they 

 tend to shew a point of affinity, lying in another 

 direction. After observing that the Rails and 

 Water-hens, constituting a very natural Family 

 of Waders, have been designated by these fami- 

 liar names, from their peculiarly harsh notes, and 

 from assuming much of the appearance of the 

 Gallinaceous birds, another proof that the true 

 analogies of nature are often perceived by the 

 vulgar, though passed over by the scientific, 

 he thus proceeds : " The most permanent dif- 

 ferences in their structure, when compared with 

 the foregoing Families (those of the Sandpipers 

 and the Plovers), are, the great size of the leg, 

 and the length of the toes, particularly the hinder 

 one ; the body is very thin and unusually flat- 

 tened [vertically] ; a structure particularly adapted 

 to the habits of Rails, since they live for the 

 most part in the tangled recesses of those reeds 

 and aquatic vegetables which clothe the sides of 

 rivers and morasses. They are for the most part 

 solitary and timid birds, hiding themselves at the 

 least approach of danger, but quitting their semi- 

 aquatic retreats in the morning and evening, to 

 feed in more open spots : their flight, from the 

 shortness of their wings, is very feeble, but they 

 run with swiftness ; and by the peculiarly com- 

 pressed form of their body, are able to make their 



* Linn. Trans, vol. xv. 



