748 



U. S. P E. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



EALLUS VIEGINIANUS, Linn. 



Tirginia Rail. 



Rallus virginianus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 263, (may possibly refer to autumnal Porzana Carolina.) — Wils. Am. 

 Orn. VII, 1813, 109 ; pi. Ixii, f. 1.— Bon. Obs. Wils. 1825 ; No. 210.— Ndtt. Man. II, 1834, 

 205.— AuD. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 41 : V, 573 ; pi. 205.— Ib. Syn. 216.— Is. Birds Am. V, 1842, 

 174 ; pi. 311 — Cab. Jour. 1856, 427. 



Rallua aquations, var. A. Lath. Ind. Orn. II, 1790. 



Rallus limicola, Vieill. 



" Rallua rythv hynchos, Vieill. " Gray. 



Figures.- Edwards' Birds, VI, pi. 279.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, pi. 62, fig. 1.— Am. B. of Am. pi. 205; cot. ed. V, 

 pi. 311. 



Sp. Ch. — Much smaller than either of the preceding, but resembling them in form, and resembling also R. elegans in colors. 

 Tipper parts olive brown, with longitudinal stripes of brownish black ; line from base of bill over the eye reddish white. Throat 

 white ; neck before, and breast, bright rufous; abdomen and under tail coverts with transverse bands of black and white, the 

 former being the wider. Upper wing coverts bright rufous chestnut ; under wing coverts black, with transverse lines of white. 

 Total length, (from tip of bill to end of tail,) about 7i inches ; wing, 4 ; tail, IJ inches. 



Hab. — The entire temperate regions of North America ; New Mexico, (Dr. T. C. Henry ;) California, (Mr. R. D. Cutts ;) 

 Oregon, (Dr. Geo. Suckley.) 



Quite frequent in the States on the Atlantic, and now brought, for the first time, from west 

 of the Rocky mountains. This little bird bears a singular resemblance to Ballus elegans in 

 form and colors, and is one of the instances in which size is a specific and distinctive character. 



This species is found along the margins of the bays and rivers on the Atlantic, migrating 

 southward in the autumn, and is remarkable for quickness of movement and swiftness of foot, 

 running on the ground with great facility. It ranges northward into the British possessions. 



List of specimens. 



PORZANA, Vieillot. 



Porzana, Vieillot, Analyse, p. 61, (1816,) 61. Type Rallus porzana, L. 



Ch. — Bill shorter than the head, compressed, straight ; nostrils in a wide groove, with a large membrane ; wings moderate ; 

 primaries longer than tertiaries ; tail short ; tarsus about the length of the middle toe ; toes long ; inner toe slightly shorter 

 than the outer. General form compressed and slender ; legs rather robus^. 



Contains about twenty species, generally inhabiting temperate regions, inhabiting marshes 

 and borders of rivers. In the spring and autumn several species migrate in large numbers. 



