THE WATER-RAIL. 247 



marked, that the whole, after they are understood singly, may 

 be put together. 



The characters of the rail, in which it will be found to 

 differ considerably from the crake, though they have been 

 popularly called by the same name, or sometimes scientifi- 

 cally no, simply classed together, are briefly as follows : 

 the bill longer than the head, slender, slightly arched, com- 

 pressed in the basal part only, and cylindrical at the tip, and 

 the upper mandible channelled, and longer than the under 

 one ; the nasal groove not much dilated ; the nostrils lateral, 

 longitudinal, and half covered by membrane, but nearer the 

 base of the bill than in the crake. The whole bill is, in fact, 

 fitted for going more immediately and deeply into the water 

 for food. The legs are long, naked to some distance above 

 the tarsal joints, and stouter in proportion than those of the 

 crake. The toes are all free, and without membranes, and 

 the foot is altogether more gallinaceous, fitted for walking on 

 a greater variety of surfaces, and even for perching. The 

 wings are short, and rounded ; the body short, compressed, 

 and generally fat ; the tail susceptible of much and rapid 

 motion ; and the plumage smooth and close, and capable of 

 being immersed without being wetted. There is but one 

 British species, an inhabitant of rushy, sedgy, and bushy 

 margins of streams ; shifting its ground with the season, but 

 not generally, if at all, migratory. It has, indeed, at all 

 times, a reluctance to flight, for which, from the weight of 

 its body, the shortness of its wings, and the way in which it 

 carries its feet (hanging down while it flies), it is not very 

 well fitted. This species is 



THE WATER-RAIL (Mall 



Also called the "water-ouzel," the "velvet runner," and 

 various other names. 



The average length is about ten inches ; the breadth about 

 fifteen, the weight answering to these dimensions, between 



