HI 



This family are sub-aquatics, and are but rarely found at 

 any considerable distance from water ; they swim and dive 

 admirably, and for the most part procure their food in the 

 water ; which consists of small fish, aquatic insects, and 

 worms ; they also devour grain, and our indigenous species 

 will often after harvest, quit their watery retreats, and 

 repare to stubble lands, when their flesh is good tasted ; 

 but at other times it is usually rank and fishy : they mostly 

 build either a floating nest, or nestle on the ground ; their 

 young either run as soon as hatched, or take to the water, 

 in the latter they may be often seen with parts of the shell 

 sticking to thera. 



The Land Rail, or Crake Gallinule, (G. Crex.) as also 

 the SpottedWater Rail,(G^. Forzana^') belong to this genus, 

 though originally classed by Linnaeus with the genus Rallus. 

 Five species are enumerated as British, British Ornitho- 

 logy ^ vol. 2. 



18. Vaginalis. SheAth-bill. Bill strong, thick, conic- 

 convex, compressed, the upper mandible covered on the 

 top with a moveable horny sheath ; nostrils small, 

 placed before the sheath ; tongue above, round, beneath, 

 flattened, pointed; face naked, papilleus ; wings with 

 an obtuse excrescence under the flexure ; legs strong, 

 four toed, toes rough, beneath ; claws groved. 



This genus, of which only one species has been discovered, 

 inhabits New Zealand, is said to feed on shell fish, and 

 carcasses. 



