YELLOW-BREASTED RAIL. 255 
much compressed, slightly arched, tapering to a fine point, flat and 
marginate beneath. 
Plumage rather stiff, but soft, blended, and slightly glossed above. 
Feathers of the forehead somewhat bristly, broad and rounded ; of the 
hind parts elongated. Wings short, broad, concave ; alula large, pri- 
maries curved, broad, abruptly rounded, the second longest, third 
searcely shorter, first equal to seventh; secondaries broad and rounded, 
the inner elongated, some of them extending a quarter of an inch be- 
yond the longest primary. Tail extremely short, much rounded,.of ten 
feeble rounded feathers; the upper and lower tail-coverts as long as 
the tail-feathers. 
Bill greenish-black, with the base dull yellowish-orange. Iris hazel. 
Feet and claws light flesh-colour. Upper part of the head and hind 
neck blackish-brown, the feathers slightly edged with dull light brown- 
ish-red, those on the occiput and hind neck with a small white spot on 
the outer edge. The upper parts are brownish-black, longitudinally 
streaked with brownish-yellow, each feather being broadly margined 
with the latter, and crossed with from one to three narrow white bars. 
Alula greyish-brown, each feather with a white dot near the tip ; pri- 
maries similar, the outer four unspotted; the edge of the wing, and 
the basal half of the outer web of the first primary yellowish-white ; 
outer secondaries greyish-brown, white towards the end, three of them 
having that colour extending over more than half of their length ; in- 
ner secondaries like the back; as are the tail-feathers. Loral space 
and a line beyond the eye blackish-brown. Sides of the head, neck, 
and anterior part of the body light brownish-red, each feather termi- 
nally margined with deep brown ; sides like the back; axillaries, 
lower wing-coverts, and middle of the abdomen, pure white ; sides of 
the rump like the back; lower tail-coverts brownish-red, with faint 
whitish dots. 
Length to end of tail 7% inches, to end of claws 93, to end of wings 
7; extent of wings 121; wing from flexure 334; tail 134; tarsus 44; 
first toe and claw 3%; second toe +$, its claw 3%; third toe 1,4, its 
claw 34; fourth toe 4%, its claw #%. Weight 23 oz. 
The Female is smaller than the male, but similar in colour. 
Length to end of tail 6} inches, to end of claws 83; extent of 
wings ll. Weight 2 oz. 
