ZOOLOGY. 247 



EALLUS VIRGINIANUS, Linn. 



Virginia Rail ; Sara. 



Ballus virgininaus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 176G, 263, (may possibly refer to autumnal Porzana Carolina ) — WiLS. Am. 

 Orn. VII, 1813, 109 ; pi. l.\ii, f. 1.— Box. Obs. Wils. 1825 ; No. 210.— Nurr. Man. II, 1834, 205.— 

 AuD. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 41 : V, 573 ; pi. 205. ~Ib. Syn. 216. --Ib. Birds Am. V, 1842, 174 ; pi. 

 311. — Cab. Jour. 1856, 427. — Baibd & Cassis, Gen. Kep. Birds, 748. 



FiGHRE.s.— Edwaeds' Birds, VI, pi. 279.— Wilso.n, Am. Orn. VII, pi. 62, fig. l.~AuD. B. of Am. pi. 205 ; oct. cd. V, pi. 311. 



Sp. Cn. — Much smaller than either of the preceding, but resembling them in form, and resembling also JR. elegans in colors. 

 Upper parts olive brown, with longitudinal stripes of brownish black ; line from base of bill over the eye reddish white. 

 Throat white ; neck before and breast bright rufous; abdomen and under tail coverts with transverse bands of black and 

 white, the former being tlie wider. Upper wing coverts bright rufous chestnut ; under wiug coverts black, with transverse 

 lines of white. Tot^U length (from tip of bill to end of tail) about 7J to 9 inches ; extent, 13| ; wing, 4 ; tail, \h inches. 



Hab — The entire temperate regions of North America; New Mexico, (Dr. T. C. Henry;'! California, (Mr. E. D. Cutts ;) 

 Oregon, (Dr. Geo. Suckley.) 



I saw one of these birds on the Puyalhip marshes, Puget Sound, October 7, ISoG. It was 

 on the edge of a small "cat-tail marsh," but escaped before I could get a shot at it. I after- 

 wards obtained a specimen at Port Townsend, Washington Territory, which was found dead 

 during a snow storm, January 5, 1857. The dimensions of this specimen were a little larger 

 than those given in the general report as those usual to the species, being 9.t, lof, 4g, bill If. 

 Iris flame red, (perhaps a postmortem change?) Length from bill to end of largest toe, (both 

 drawn to their fullest extent,) 13 inches. Legs dusky yellowish brown, dingy about the 

 flexures of the joints. Tarsus, 1 3|-1G. From angle of the eye to end of bill, \\l. Bill 

 dusky above and reddish orange beneath; edges and upper mandible near the base reddish 

 orange. Anterior edge of wing aviate. — S. 



The Virginian rail appears to be a rare visitor in the Territory, as I never saw but one, 

 though I resided near marshes suited to their habits, and often looked particularly for them. 

 In the end of September, 1855, I noticed one in such a marsh near the mouth of the Columbia, 

 and, as this species is the most abundant in California, have little doubt of its identity. — C. 



FULICA AMERICANA, G m e 1 i n . 



Coot ; Poule d'ean ; Mud Hen. 



Fulka amcrknm, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 704. — BoN. Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 234. — Aid. Ora. Biog. Ill, 1835, 291 : V, 

 568 ; pi. 239.— Ib. Syn. 212.— Ib. Birds Amer. Vi, 1842, 138 ; pi. 305.— Hartlaub, Cab. Jour. I, 

 Extraheft fiir 1853, 1854, 75 ; 87.— Baied & Cassin, Gen. Rep. Birds, 751. 



Fulka atra, Wils. Am. Orn. EX, 1825, 61 ; pi. ixxiii. 



Sp. Ch. — Head and neck glossy black, with a tinge of ashy ; under tail coverts white. Entire other plumage dark bluish 

 cinereous or slate color, with a tinge of olive on the back and darker on the rump. Edge of wing at shoulder and edge of first 

 primary white ; secondary quills tipped with white ; rump frequently tinged with brownish. Bill very pale yellow or nearly 

 white, with a transverse band of brownish black near the end ; tip white ; legs dull grayish green. Female similar, but with 

 the tints lighter. Young like the adult, but with the under parts lighter ; abdomen frequently ashy white ; back and rump 

 dark olive brown ; head and neck lighter. 



Total length about 14 inches ; wing, 7 ; tail, 2 inches. 



Hob. — Entire temperate regions of North America. 



Abundant in all the small weedy lakes of both Territories. I obtained specimens both at 

 Fort Dalles and Fort Steilacoom. In both places the coots were much less shy than the wild 

 ducks of the vicinity. — S. 



