X44 THE AMERICAN COOT. 



the Gallinaceous birds. The digestive organs, however, differ from those of 

 the Rasores in one essential respect, namely, in there being no crop, or dila- 

 tation of the oesophagus. They are also very nearly allied to those of the 

 Ducks, differing only in having the coeca proportionally larger. The 

 Jlnatinse, in fact are in some respects aquatic Gallinacese. 



The trachea is 6g inches long, from 4^ twelfths to 2 twelfths in breadth, 

 flattened, with the rings feeble, until 1 inch from the lower extremity, when 

 it becomes laterally compressed, with the rings much narrower. The num- 

 ber of these is 154. Bronchi very short, of 20 half rings, which are not 

 ossified as in the Grebes, but cartilaginous. The rings of the trachea are 

 narrowed in the middle, in front and behind, so as to be perfectly flexible 

 there, as well as on either side. The lateral muscles are moderate. There 

 are no inferior laryngeal muscles, excepting on each side a very thin slip 

 going to the last ring. 



I found this species very abundant in Texas, in May, 1837. It breeds in 

 Maine and Massachusetts. 



Genus III.— ORTYGOMETRA, Leach. CRAKE-GALLINULE. 



Bill shorter than the head, rather stout, deep, compressed, tapering; upper 

 mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, being slightly convex toward 

 the end, the ridge flatfish for a short space at the base, very slightly extended 

 on the forehead, narrow in the rest of its extent, the sides nearly erect, the 

 edges sharp, with a slight sinus close to the rather obtuse tip; nasal groove 

 broad and extending to two-thirds; lower mandible with the angle long and 

 narrow, the dorsal line ascending, nearty straight, the sides erect, the tip 

 narrowed. Nostrils linear, lateral, submedial. Head rather small, oblong, 

 compressed; neck of moderate length; body rather slender, much com- 

 pressed. Feet of moderate length, rather stout; tibia bare below; tarsus of 

 ordinary length, compressed, with broad anterior scutella; hind toe short and 

 slender, anterior toes very long, compressed, scutella, the outer slightly 

 longer than the inner. Claws of moderate length, slender, extremely com- 

 pressed, tapering to a fine point. Plumage rather stiff, but blended; feathers 

 of the forehead with the shaft enlarged. Wings short and broad, somewhat 

 convex, the second quill longest. Tail extremely short, much rounded, of 

 twelve weak feathers. Digestive organs as in Gallinula. 



