VIRGINIAN RAIL. 45 



rufous hue of the parent birds before the commencement of winter, al- 

 though they increase in size and improve in the depth of their tints pro- 

 bably for several years. 



Rallus vihginianus, Linn. Sjst. Nat. vol. i. p. 2G3 — Ch. Bonaparte, Synops.^ of 



Birds of the United States, p. 334. 

 Eallus aquaticus, var. Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 755. 

 Virginian Rail, Rai.lus virgikianus, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. vii. p. 109. pi. 62. 



fig. 2. 

 Lesser Clapper Rail, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 205. 



Adult Male. Plate CCV. Fig. 1. 



Bill longer than the head, slender, compressed, slightly curved, deep 

 at the base. Upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly curved, the 

 ridge flattish at the base, and extending a little on the forehead, convex 

 and narrow towards the end ; a deep groove runs on either side parallel 

 to the ridge for two-thirds of the whole length ; the edges inflected, with 

 a very slight notch close to the tip. Nostrils lateral, linear, direct, open 

 and pervious. Lower mandible with the angle very long, extremely nar- 

 row, the sides erect, slightly convex, the edges inflected, the tip narrowed, 

 the dorsal and marginal outlines slightly arched. 



Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long. Body 

 slender, much compressed. Feet rather long ; tibia bare a considerable 

 way above the joint ; tarsus of ordinary length, compressed, anteriorly 

 covered with broad scutella, posteriorly with smaller, and on the sides re- 

 ticulated. Hind toe very small and slender, middle toe longest, fourth 

 considerably shorter, and but little longer than the second ; toes free, scu- 

 tellate above, compressed, granulate beneath. Claws of moderate length, 

 arched, slender, much compressed, acute, flat and marginate beneath. 



Plumage rather stiff, compact, slightly glossed on the back. Feathers 

 of the head and neck short and blended ; of the forehead with the shaft 

 enlarged and extended beyond the tip. Wings very short and broad ; 

 alula large ; primaries curved, broad, tapering, but obtuse, third longest, 

 second very little shorter, first and sixth about equal ; secondaries broad 

 and rounded. Tail extremely short, much rounded, of twelve feeble 

 rounded feathers ; the upper and lower tail-coverts nearly as long as the 

 tail-feathers. 



Bill dark brown, the lower mandible and edges of upper yellowish- 



