Class II. RAIL. 4^5 



the irides red : the head, hind part of the neck, 

 the back, and coverts of the wings and tail are 

 black, edged with an olive brown; the bafe of the 

 wing is white; the quil-feathers and fecondaries 

 dufky : the throat, breaft, and upper part of the 

 belly are afh-colored : the fides under the wings as 

 far as the rump finely varied with black and white 

 bars. The tail is very fhort, confifts of twelve 

 black feathers ; the ends of the two middle tipt with 

 ruft-coior; the feathers immediately beneath the tail 

 white. The legs are placed far behind, and are 

 of a duiky Mem-color. The toes very long, and 

 divided to their very origin; though the f^et are not 

 webbed, it takes the water; will fwim on it with 

 much eafe ; but oftener is obierved to run along 

 the furface. 



This bird is properly fui generis^ agreeing with no 

 other, fo forms a feparate tribe. M. Brijfon and 

 Linnaeus place it with the land Rail, and Mr. 

 Kay with the water hens, which have their peculiar 

 characters, fo very diflincT: from the Rail, as to 

 confcitute another genus, as may be obferved in th? 

 generical table preceding this ciafs. 



% k 2 BILL 



