1^ 



RALLID.E - THE HAILS — RALLUS. 



351 



liioiiil : 



luailv 



mil till' 



c mil' I 

 (liliii) 



IS, llifii 



;iii(l rVcf, have this member comparatively short ami thick. The (Joots and (lalliimles 

 liiive tiie base of the culmeii coiitimit'd iiiniii the tdrchcnil. wiicre it widens out into a 

 iiKiic or h'ss <^ilil)(ms or expanded phite ^n^ 'nintiil sliieid. 'I'iie Coots, however, are 

 peculiar in having' the toes fringed with scalloped Haps or lateral lolii's. 



'Die three siilvlaniilic'S of Itullidw oceiirring in "^"rth America may be tlius 

 (listiiij,'uished : — 



Rallinae. Xe fntiital process ; toes withuut lateral lobes ; size varialile ; liili sunu'liinuH 



liiiiili cli)iij,'ati'd. 

 OalliuulinsB. A fnmtal jirocess, as in Fitliviinf ; toes without lateral lulies ; si/.c lar^ic. 

 Fulicinae. A frontal jn'ocess, as in (lallinulime ; toes with u lateral IoIkmI niaiv'in ; si/.e 



lai^'c. 



The several sul)-families havinj,' thus been detined, the North Anu-riean genera 

 may lie characterized as follows : — 



Sni-FAMii.v liAl.lilN.K. — Tin. TiiiK liAiLs. 



A. l'>ill slender, ei|Ual to or longer lliaii the tai-sus. 



1. Rallus. [Cliararters as iiliove. ] 



O. liill sliiiit, Hot iiKHv than twn lliiids tlie taisiis (usually imirh less), 



2. Porzana. MiiMIe toe alinnl ei|iial to nr ^liMlllly longer than tarsus ; liase of gonys nut 



forming a deeiileil angle ; niiilille of cuhnen deciileiUy depressed or coiicavo. 

 ;{, Crex. Miildle toe shorter than tarsus ; liase of gonys forming a decidi-d inii;le ; inicldle of 

 euUiiell scarcely aiijireeialily de|iressed. 



Siii-KAMii.Y OAliLIXl'LlN'yE. —Tin; (iAii.iMi.is. 



4. lonornis. N'nstril small, oval ; middle toe shorter than tarsus ; tc es without trace of 

 lateral nienihrane ; inner iiosterlor face of tar.ais with a sin^de low nf large i|nailratu 



scutella'. 



r>. Oallinula. Nostril elongated, slit-like ; middle toe longer than tarsus ; toes with a 

 deciiled indication of lateral memhraiie ; inner posterior face uf taisus cuveied with 

 several irregular rows of small hexagonal scales. 



Srii-KAMii.v I'TI.ICIX.K. — Tin; Coors. 



(i. Fulica. Nostrils, and pi'o]ioi'lionatc length of toes and tarsus, as in ilnllltiiiln ; toes 

 liordered with a very wide, scallojied, lateral niemhrane ; inner po.-teiior face of tarsu» 

 covered with small scah's, as in (IhIIIhkIk.^ 



lldle le 



edge: 



Gexi's rallus, Lix.v.tu's. 



Ji'dhia, Linn. S. N. cd. Id, ]7.kS, 1.'.:? ; cd. I'.', 17t!ti, 261 (type, li. aqvatkus, Li.vx.). 



''iiAR. Bill longer than the head, rather slender, compressed ; upjier mai.ilildo slightly curved ; 

 iiosiiils in a long ^;roove, and with .'i large memhraiie ; wings short ; tertiary ipiills lon;_'. frei|iiiiiiiy 

 1oiil;i'1' than the |)rimaries; fail very shori ; legs moderate, tarsus siiorter than the midille toe, mid 

 CHViicd on all sides with transverse scales ; toes long and rather sleiidi'r ; inner toe rather shorter 

 tli;Mi llie outer ; hind toe short and weak. 



This genus contains numerous species, inhaliiting all the temperate countries of the world, and 

 viiy -iinilar in their hahits, and lVe.,iientIy in ap|iearance. 'I'heir long toes enalile them to run 

 ovir ;iiid (limb amongst aipiatic jdaiits wiih ;^reat facility. 



' A .South AiiiPiican iif'wwn, Puriilnirinps, Pri'iiKiiAN, l«'lon«iiig to tlif fodlinnliiin;, is inmh like (Jnl- 

 ///o'/.(, (lit lins the lateral iiiaij;iii to the Iocs iiiorc dccidodly ilcvel()|ied, tin u'oiiy- very short, and much 

 a.si' -Mliiif; tcrniiiially, the culineii very straight, mid the fn ntal shield small and very iiointed. 



