OF ORNITHOLOGY 115 



reach beyond the short, soft, and feeble tail ; in fact, seldom 

 to its tail. The outer two or three primaries generally abbre- 

 viated. The toes are very long, cleft to the base, thin, and 

 generally with very long claws ; the same is the case with the 

 hind toe, which is not only much longer than in the Limic- 

 ol^e, but is generally inserted more nearly on the same level 

 with the anterior ones, touching the ground for most of its ex- 

 tent. The species pick up their food on the surface, and do 

 not probe the soft mud in search of it." 



The Rails are a curious family to study. They are peculiar. 

 Their cry or scream is peculiar. Their shape, general appear- 

 ance, method of life, food, nesting, and times of appearance 

 and of disappearance in any given region is peculiar. They 

 do not resemble any other family — except casually ; and they 

 might well be made, even, into a distinct sub-order, so indi- 

 vidual are they. The Rails are divided into 3 sub-families : 



Sub-family a RALLIN^J True Rails 



This sub-family is easily determined by having no so-called 

 frontal shield at base of bill. The toes simple and without 

 membranes. The compressed shape of the body is also noted 

 in this sub-family. 



Genera, Rallus, The Marsh Rails (5 species). 

 Porzana, The " Crakes " (5 species). 

 Grex, The " Corn Crake," [Land Rail]. 



Rallus and Porzana are, really, both Marsh Rails in distinction from Crex 

 which is eminently a Land Rail. The distinction between the two former 

 is not so evident. Various synonyms have appeared at times for all these 

 species, but they are pretty generally discarded now for those given above. 

 Gallinula seemed to hold its own for the whole family formerly, as did also 

 Rallus. Creciscus and Cotumicops still occur occasionally. Perdix is 

 old ; and Ortygometra, recently discarded, had the support of many good 

 authorities. 



Sub-family b GALLINULIN^! Gallinules 



Frontal shield present ; toes with narrow membranous mar- 

 gins in Gallinula, toes simple in Ionornis. The Gallinules do 

 differ from the Raik in other respects, but it is hard to say 



