Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 379 



Suborder RALLI. Rails, Gallinules, Coots, etc. 



Family ARAMID^. Courlans or Limpkins. 



The Limpkins are closely allied to the Cranes osteologically, but 

 differ widely in habits, in the latter resembling both the Rails and 

 Herons. They frequent swamps and streams and like herons are 

 perfectly at home in trees. Their cry is a mournful wailing note, 

 from which it is called "crying bird" in some parts of the south, espe- 

 cially in Florida, where it is also known as Limpkin, from its peculiar 

 style of walking. They eat large numbers of land snails {Ampullaria) . 

 The tip of the lower mandible is bent sideways, caused, it is claimed, 

 by forcing the bill into the spiral shell to extract the animal. The 

 single genus belonging to this family comprises but two known species. 



Limpkin. 



