354 ALECTORIDES. 



l)oiiitL'il out in the above sjTiopsis, the very conspicuous, sharply-definerl, and LroaJ black stripes 

 above, upon an ocbrey-brovvn or yellowish-olivaceous ground-color, combined with the cinnamon 

 breast and dai'k flanks, being the prominent distmctive features. The chief variation in colors 

 consists in the degree of ashiness on the side of the head (some examples being distinctly ashy, as 

 in most specimens of E. lonyirostris crepitans), and in the precise shade of the ground-color of the 

 upper parts (which, however, is never ashy). 



The only extralimital specimens we have seen are one from the City of Mexico, in the collec- 

 tion of Mr. George N. Lawrence, and one from the Valley of Mexico in the National Museum. 

 These are so different in many respects from the common North American bird as to be entitled 

 to at least sub-specific seijaration. Compared with true elegans, the distinctive characters of the 

 Mexican race are as follows : — 



a. elegaus. Flanks and sides dusky brownish, widely and distinctly barred with pure white. 

 Wing, 5.90-6.80; culmen, 2.U-^.50 ; least depth of bill, .2V-.35 ; tarsus, 2.20-2.40 ; middle toe, 

 1.80-2.10. Ilith. Fresh-water marshes of Eastern North America. 



/3. tenuirostris. Flanks and sides reddish umber, narrowly and indistinctly barred with 

 reddish white and dilute cinnamon ; breast and neck more deeply and unilbrmly cinnamon than 

 iw elajans. Wing, 5.90; cidmen, 2.00-2.10; least depth of bill, .22; tarsus, 1.80-1.90; middle 

 toe, 1.70. Hah. Mexico (Mazatlan and City of Mexico). 



The accompanying figure of the bill of tenuirostris is taken from the type specimen in Mr. 

 Lawrence's collection. 



Rallus elerjans tenuirostris. 



The distinction between the present species and the more common Clapper Rail 

 entirely escaped the notice of Wilson and Nuttall, although the former must unques- 

 tionably have met with the elegans in the Delaware marshes — in his description of the 

 crepltuiis ap2iareutly confounding the manners of the two species. The distinctness of 

 elegans as a species and some of its peculiarities were first made known to the jDublic 

 by Mr. Audubon, his attention having been called to the subject by Dr. John Bach- 

 man. Although Audubon speaks of having met with a single individual of this 

 species in Kentucky, he seems to have regarded it as an exclusively southern species 

 and as being confined to the fresh-water marshes of the Southern States, and not to 

 have been aware how common it is in the low lands of all the Northwestern States, 

 ranging even as far as Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. Even now much remains 

 to be learned as to its general abundance in these States, the dates of its appearance 

 and departure. 



Mr. Dresser found it pretty common in Southern Texas, on the Brazos and Colo- 

 rado rivers, and also occasionally on Galveston Island. 



Giraud did not meet with any specimens of this Rail in the marshes of Long 

 Island, but mentions the finding a single specimen, taken at Williamsburg, now in 

 the cabinet of Mr. Lawrence ; and he regarded it as being extremely rare in that 

 region. Mr. J. H. Batty, however, informs me that he has found stragglers of this 

 species in all parts of Long Island, as well as in the meadows of New Jersey between 

 Jersey City and Newark, where it breeds. He has also taken a single specimen near 

 West Haven, Conn. 



