232 



RAIL. 



as in Pennsylvania, is nine inches long, and fourteen inches 

 in extent ; the bill is black ; line over the eye, down the neck, 

 and whole chin, pure white, bounded by a band of black, 

 which descends and spreads broadly over the throat ; the eye 

 is dark hazel ; crown, neck, and upper part of the breast, red 

 brown ; sides of the neck, spotted with white and black on 

 a reddish brown ground ; back, scapulars, and lesser coverts, 

 red brown, intermixed with ash, and sprinkled with black ; 

 tertials, edged with yellowish white ; wings, plain dusky ; 

 lower part of the breast and belly, pale yellowish white, 

 beautifully marked with numerous curving spots, or arrow- 

 heads of black; tail, ash, sprinkled with reddish brown ; legs, 

 very pale ash. 



The female differs in having the chin and sides of the head 

 yellowish brown, in which dress it has been described as a 

 different kind. There is, however, only one species of quail 

 at present known within the United States. 



RAIL. {Rallus Carolinus.) 



PLATE XLVIIL— Fig. 1. 



Soree, Catesb. i. 70. — Arct. Zool. p. 491, No. 409. — Little American "Water-hen, 

 Edu: 144. — Le Kale de Virginie, Buff. viii. 165. 



CREX CAROLWUS.-Boxaparte.* 

 Kallus (Crex) Carolinus, Bonap. Synop. p. 335. 



Of all our land or water fowl, perhaps none afford the 

 sportsmen more agreeable amusement, or a more delicious 

 repast, than the little bird now before us. This amusement 

 is indeed temporary, lasting only two or three hours in the 



* Almost every ornithologist lias been at variance with regard to the 

 propriety and limitation of the genera Rallus, Crex, and Gallinula. 

 They appear to be sufficiently distinct, and not to run more into each 

 other than many other groups, and, in the present state of ornithology, 

 their separation is indispensable. Crex may be characterised by the bill 

 shorter than the head, strong at the base, and tapering, the forehead 

 feathered ; the common land rail or corncrake of Europe, and our 



