178 THE VIRGINIAN RAIL. 



the base. Upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly curved, the ridge 

 flattish at the base, and extending a little on the forehead, convex and narrow 

 towards the end; a deep groove runs on either side parallel to the ridge for 

 two-thirds of the whole length; the edges inflected, with a very slight notch 

 close to the tip. Nostrils lateral, linear, direct, open and pervious. Lower 

 mandible with the angle very long, extremely narrow, the sides erect, 

 slightly convex, the edges inflected, the tip narrowed, the dorsal and mar- 

 ginal outlines slightly arched. 



Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long. Body slender, 

 much compressed. Feet rather long; tibia bare a considerable way above 

 the joint; tarsus of ordinary length, compressed, anteriorly covered with 

 broad scutella, posteriorly with smaller, and on the sides reticulated. Hind 

 toe very small and slender, middle toe longest, fourth considerably shorter, 

 and but little longer than the second; toes free, scutellate above, compressed, 

 granulate beneath. Claws of moderate length, arched, slender, much com- 

 pressed, acute, flat and marginate beneath. 



Plumage rather stiff, compact, slightly glossed on the back. Feathers of 

 the head and neck short and blended; of the forehead with the shaft enlarged 

 and extended beyond the tip. Wings very short and broad; alula large; 

 primaries curved, broad, tapering, but obtuse, third longest, second very 

 little shorter, first and sixth about equal; secondaries broad and rounded. 

 Tail extremely short, much rounded, of twelve feeble rounded feathers; the 

 upper and lower tail-coverts nearly as long as the tail-feathers. 



Bill dark brown, the lower mandible and edges of upper yellowish-brown. 

 Iris bright red. Feet yellowish-brown, tinged with olive; claws more dusky. 

 The general colour of the upper parts is deep brownish-black, with streaks 

 of light olive-brown; sides of the head dull bluish-grey, loral space of a 

 deeper tint; a brownish-orange line over the eye. Alula, primary quills, 

 and tail, blackish-brown; secondary quills like the back, but edged with 

 greenish-brown, smaller coverts dark chestnut. Throat reddish-white; fore 

 neck and breast bright orange-brown, approaching to yellowish-red; sides, 

 abdomen, and lower wing-coverts barred with brownish-black and white, 

 the bands of the latter narrower; tibial feathers dusky anteriorly, light 

 reddish behind. Lower tail-coverts each with a central brownish-black 

 spot, the edges white, the tips pale reddish. 



Length to end of tail 10^ inches, to end of claws 13, extent of wings 14^; 

 bill 1 T 7 2; tarsus 1 T 5 2, middle toe and claw 1 T 9 2; wing from flexure 4|-, tail ljf. 



Adult Female. 



The female is considerably smaller than the male, but resembles it in 

 colouring, only the dark tints of the upper parts are lighter, the chestnut of 

 the wings paler, and the lower parts of a less bright red. 



