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217 
ORTYGOMETRA. CRAKE. 
Generic Character. 
Rostrum capite brevior, basi 
crassum, ad apicem atte- 
nuatum et compressum, 
acutum : mandibula supe- 
riore paulo incurvata, et 
ad apicem subtumida. 
Nai-es ovales, laterales, in 
medio rostri sitae, membra- 
nul^ semiclausae. 
Pedes validi, tetradactyli ; 
fissi, digitis tribus anticis ; 
pollex basi in teri'am in- 
sistente : tibiae fere plumis 
tectae. 
Beak shorter than the head, 
thick at its base, attenu- 
ated and compressed at 
the tip, acute; the upper 
mandible rather incurved, 
and swollen towards the 
tip. 
Nostrils oval, lateral, placed 
in the middle of the beak, 
and half closed by a mem- 
brane. 
Legs strong, four-toed, cleft, 
with three toes before : the 
base of the hinder toe rest- 
ing on the ground : the 
tihice nearly clothed with 
feathers. 
ORTYGOMETRA. Ray, Briss. 
RALLUS. Linn., Gniel,, Lath., Briss. 
PORPHYRIO. Bliss. 
GALLINULA. Ray, Lath., Temm. 
FULICA. Linn., Gmel. 
IHE chief distinction between the Rails and the 
Crakes consists in the comparative length of the beak, 
