RAILS. 



FAMILY OF MACRODACTYLI. 



56. The Grallatoriae composing this family never have the 

 beak as slender, and as weak as it is in the Longirostres, but, 

 in other respects, its form varies very much. They are chiefly 

 characterised by the arrangement of their toes, which are very 

 long, fitted for walking on the grasps of marshes ; or even for 

 swimming, in which case they are widened by a species of lateral 

 border, (Plate 7, fiy. 9.) but they never possess the smallest 

 trace of a palmate membrane ; the thumb is always quite long ; 

 the body is singularly compressed ; and their wings are moderate 

 or short, and their flight is feeble. 



57. Some of them, (the Jacanas, for example,) have the wings 

 armed with a spur ; others are destitute of this kind of spur ; 

 they are distinguished into Rails and Coots, according as the 

 front is feathered, or furnished with a horny shield. 



58. The RAILS, Rallus, have the front feathered, the beak 

 compressed and nearly straight, the head small, the toes destitute 

 of lateral festoons, and the wings concave. They ordinarily 

 keep concealed beneath the grass during the day, and seek their 

 food, in the morning and evening, amidst the rushes and herbs of 

 marshes and prairies. 



59. The Water Kail of Europe, Rallus aqvaticus, is fawn 

 coloured brown, spotted with blackish above, bluu'sh ash-colour 

 beneath, and striped black and white on the flanks. Its flesh has 

 a marshy odour. It is common along rivulets, and ponds ; it 

 swims well and runs lightly over the leaves of aquatic plants. 



60. [The Clapper Rail, or Mvd-Hen, Rallus crepitans, 

 abounds in the Middle and Southern States. It is very numerous 

 oh" the extensive salt marshes of New Jersey, where they are 

 intersected by numerous tide water ditches. It .winters near to, 

 or within the southern boundaries of the Union.] 



61. The Crex, or Laud Rail, Rallus cmr, is vulgarly called 

 the King of the Quails, because, from the circumstance of arriving 

 and departing with them, and keeping on the same grounds, it 

 was believed that he led them. It lives and nests in the fields, 

 and runs through the grass with great rapidity. 



56. How are the Macrodactyli characterised ? 



57. How is the family of Macrodactyli distinguished ? 



58. What are the characters of the Rails? 



59. What are the characters of the Euiopean Water Rail? 



60. What is the Mud-Hen? 



61. What is the King of Quails ? 



