RALLI1SME. 721 



placed by Gray among the true Rails, but appears to approach the 

 Water-hens more nearly, and Bonaparte makes it the type of a 

 separate family, in which he places Triboriyx, Dubus, (Brachyp- 

 trallus, Lair.), which appears to me to be simply a gigantic Water- 

 hen. Not far from the Coots and Gallinules should be placed the 

 remarkable genus, Podoa, Illiger, (Heliornis, Gray ) with the closely 

 allied Podica, Gray. The birds composing this group have the toes 

 lengthened and webbed like the Coots, or rather like Podiceps ; a 

 long neck and a Rail-like bill. They were formerly classed with 

 the Grebes, but the skeleton is quite that of the present family. 

 There is one American species, Podica surinamensis ; another from 

 Africa, Podica Senegalensis ; and a third Podica personata, Gray, 

 from Burmah and Malacca, extending into Cachar, where I saw 

 a specimen that had been killed by Dr. White. This bird will 

 probably be found to extend so far west as to demand a place 

 among the Birds of India. The African species is said to have a 

 peculiar growling note. 



Sub-fam. Ealltn^e. 



Base of the bill not prolonged over the forehead ; beak much 

 compressed ; feet somewhat shorter than in the Gallinules ; body 

 still more compressed. 



The Rails are for the most part birds of small or moderate size, 

 and more or less brown plumage, occasionally streaked, and often 

 banded beneath, frequenting thick corn-fields, inundated rice-fields, 

 swamps, marshes, and wet meadow land. They are partially 

 nocturnal in their habits, shun observation, and feed much on 

 small molluscs, insects, and their larvse, occasionally on grain and 

 vegetable matter. They have the body more compressed than the 

 Gallinules, the sternum being- very narrow, and this enables them 

 to make their way with facility through the densest reeds and 

 herbage. They swim with ease, but take wing unwillingly and 

 fly badly. The plumage is soft and loose, and the wings have 

 generally a short spur or tubercle at the flexure. They are for the 



most part solitary, whilst the Gallinules are more or less social. 



They hang their legs on first taking wing, and during short flights. 



The sexes are alike in colour, or nearly so. 



PART II. 4 Y 



