205 
CLAPPER RAIL. 
(Rallus crepitans.) 
Ra. olivaceo Juscus, gula alba, collo subtus pectoreque Jusco-Jlave" 
scentibus, hypochondriis cinereo alboque transversim lineatis. 
Olive-brown Rail with the throat white, the neck beneath and 
breast brownish-yellow, the flanks transversely lined with grey 
and white. 
Rallus crepitans. Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1. 713. Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 
756. 
Clapper Rail. Penn, Ard. Zool. 2. 407. Lath. Gen. Syn. 5. 229. 
Wils. Amer. Orn. vii.p. \ ]2.pl. Ixii.yi 2. 
Fourteen inches in length : the beak reddish : 
the irides dark red : crown, neck, and back black, 
streaked with dingy brown ; chin, and line over the 
eye, brownish-white : auricles dusky : neck before and 
entire breast red-orange-brown : wing-coverts dark 
chesnut : quills plain dusky : legs reddish-brown : 
flanks and vent black, tipped or barred with white. 
Both sexes are similar. The young of the first year 
have the upper parts of an olive-brown, streaked with 
pale slate : wings pale olive-brown : chin and part of 
the throat white : breast ash-colour, tinged with brown: 
legs and feet pale horn-colour. 
This species is excessively abundant in the United 
States of North America, frequenting the salt marshes 
and swampy shores : it is migratory, and makes its 
appearance on the coast of New Jersey towards the 
end of April, and retires late in September. About 
