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RALLUS. RAIL. 
Generic Character. 
Rostrum capite longius, sub- 
gracile, rectum, basi com- 
pressum, ad apicem paulo 
cylindricum ; mandibula 
superiore canaliculata. 
Nares laterales in sulco sitae, 
merabranula semiclausae. 
Pedes tetradactyli, fissi ; di- 
gitis tribus anticis, uno 
portico. 
Beak longer than the head, 
rather slender, straight, 
compressed at the base, 
somewhat cyhndrical at 
the tip; the upper man- 
dible grooved- 
Nostrils lateral, placed in a 
groove, and half closed by 
a membrane. 
Legv four-toed, cleft, with 
three toes before and one 
behind. 
RALLUS. Linn., Gmel., Lath., Cuv., Vieil., &c. 
SCOLOPAX. Gmel. 
FULICA. Gmel., Lath. 
GALLINULA. Gmel., Lath. 
PORPHYRIO. Briss. 
The Rails have the body of a very compressed 
form, and the wings of a mediocral length, and 
rounded, with the first quill shorter than the second, 
third, or fourth, which are the longest. They seldom 
fly, but run or swim with celerity : they are partial 
