RALLID^— THR RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. 89 



All these variations appear, however, to be purely individual 

 (perhaps partially seasonal), or at least entirely independent 

 of locality. 



This essentially southern species is comparatively a rare bird 

 in Illinois, though it may be more common than the records 

 show. According to Mr. Nelson, a male specimen was taken in 

 May, 1886, by Mr. C. N. Holden, Jr., near Chicago, and he was 

 informed by Dr. Hoy that a specimen had been captured at 

 Racine. Its general habits are much like those of the Florida 

 Gallinule {Galllnula galeata). 



Subfamily RALLIN^. 

 Genus RALLXJS Linn^us. 



Rallus Linn. S. N. ed. 1(>. 1758. 153; ed 12. 1766,261. Type, B. aquaticus Linn. 

 Char. Bill longer than the head, rather slender, compressed; upper mandible slightly 

 curved; nosti-ils in a long groove, and with a large membrane; wings short; tertiary quills 

 long, frequently longer than the primaries; tail very short; legs moderate; tarsus shorter 

 than the middle toe, and covered on all sides with transverse scales; toes long and rather 

 slender; inner toe rather shorter than the outer; hind toe short and weak. 



This genus contains numerous species, inhabiting all the tem- 

 perate countries of the world. They are very similar in their 

 habits, and frequently in appearance. Their long toes enable 

 them to run over and climb amongst aquatic plants with great 

 facihty. 



Synopsis of the North American Species. 



Common Chaeactees. Above olive or ashy, with more or less distinct broad longitudi- 

 nal stripes of darker ; beneath concolored anteriorly, variegated with bars on the flanks and 

 crissum. Breast more or less reddish ; flanks and crissum with brown and white transverse 

 bars; a supraloral light stripe. Wing-coverts usually more rufescent than back. 



A. Size large (wing more than five inches). 



a. Axillars and flanks dusky, with wide white bars (bars about .15 of an inch wide on 

 flanks). 



1. E. elegans. Back and scapulars ochracoous-olive or yellowish drab, sharply and 

 conspicuously striped with black; breast deep cinnamon. Wing, 5.00-6.80; oul- 

 men. 2.10-2.50; least depth of bill, .22-35; tarsus. 1.90-2.40; middle toe, 1.70-2.10. Hab. 

 Fresh-water marshes of eastern North America, 



6. Axillars and flanks brownish gray, with narrow white bars (bars about .10 of an inch 

 wide on flanks). 



2. R. crepitans. Back and scapulars brownish gray or ashy, obsolotely striped 

 with brown (in Cfulf coast specimens distinctly striped with dusky); breast pale 

 buff (in Gulf coast specimens duU cinnamon). Wing, 5.20-6.00; culmen, 2.05-2.50; 

 leastdepthof bill, .22-35; tarsus, 1.85-2.10; middle toe, 1.75-2.00. llab. Salt-water 

 marshes of eastern United States. 



B. Size small (wing less than 4.50 inches). 



3. B. virginianus. Similar to R. elegans, but rather more deeply colored. Hah. 

 North and Middle America. 



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