170 GRALLATORES. RALLUS. 
tended, and assumes the form of large scalloped lobes; a 
structure that induced former systematists, in their artificial 
arrangement, to establish a separate order for its reception, 
and that of some other birds, to appearance not intimately 
connected, as the Phalaropes and Grebes ; the first of which 
belong to the Scolopacide, the other to the Order Natatores, 
and included in the Family of the Colymbide. In Britain, 
the members belonging to this family are few; consequently 
many links of the chain that connect the various groups with 
each other are wanting. The plumage of most of the Ralide 
is soft, and loose in texture; their wings, with few excep- 
tions, are short and rounded, generally armed with one or 
more spurs near the first flexure of the wing (more or less 
developed in the different genera), and they fly in a heavy 
and awkward manner ; many of them, indeed, shewing a 
great unwillingness to take flight. They feed on aquatic 
herbs, grasses, and their seeds, as well as worms, insects, 
and mollusce. 'They generally make a large nest, and lay 
several eggs; in which character they resemble not only the 
gallinaceous birds of the rasorial order, but also the Anatide 
of the Order Natatores. 
Genus RALLUS, Auc7r. RAIL. 
GENERIC CHARACTERS. 
Bill longer than the head, rather slender, compressed at 
the base, with the tip cylindrical and slightly incurved ; up- 
per mandible sulcated for two-thirds of its length, the under 
one strait, and the angle very small. 
Nostrils pierced in a membrane, and situated in the fur- 
row of the bill at a short distance from the base; linear and 
pervious. 
Tongue narrow, compressed, having a fibrous tip. 
Wings short, with the first quill feather much shorter than 
