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cler ; a dufky line extends from the forehead to the 
nofe; the face, cheeks, and chin, are white; the 
tipper part of the body is covered with hair, afh- 
coloured at the root, whitifh in the middle, and 
tipt with black; the tail is very bufl-iy, andannu- 
lated with black; the toes are black, and quite 
divided; and the fore feet, which are fhorter than 
the hinder, are both armed with five fharp claws, 
with which and it's teeth it makes a vigorous re- 
fiilance when attacked. 
This animal, like the fquirrel, ufesit's paws to 
hold it's food while eating: but it differs from the 
monkey kind, which ufe but one hand on thefe 
occafions ; becaufe, being furnifned with a thumb, 
of which the llaccoon is deftirute, one paw is fuf- 
ficient for grafping or holding. 
Though the Raccoon is lliort and bulky, it is 
neverthelefs extremely aftive. It's pointed claws 
enable it to climb trees with great facility : it runs 
on their trunks -with the fame fv/ifcnefs that it 
moves on the plain ; and fports among the ex- 
treme branches with great agility, fecurity, and 
eafe. It's progreffive motion is performed by 
bounding; and though it proceeds in a kind of 
oblique direflion, it generally out-runs it's pur- 
fuers. 
Thefe animals inhabit the fouthern parts of 
America: they are never found in the ancient con- 
tinent; but, in the climates where they refide, 
they are prodigioufly numerous; particularly in 
Jamaica, vv^here they lodge in the mountains, and 
only defcend to commit depredations on the plan- 
tations of fugar-canes. The planters of that 
ifland, who confider them as a very great nui-- 
fance, have invented various methods of deftroy- 
ing them; but ftill the breed is fo plentiful, that 
neither traps nor fire-arms can extirpate them. 
But though they are highly injurious to the la- 
bours of induftry Vv'hen wild, in a domeflic ftate 
jio animals are more harmlefs or amufing; and 
they are capable of being inftrufted in feveral 
little tricks which divert their ovmers. They are 
foortive and cleaniv, and feed on whatever is of- 
fered them: nor can any cat be a better provider; 
they examine every corner for vermin; and, if 
left at liberty in a garden, neither fnails, Vv'orms, 
beetles, nor other initfts, can efcape them. How- 
ever, they fhev/ a particular fondnefs for fweets of 
every kind; and, in order to be poffefied of thefe 
in a wild (late, they incur every danger. Though 
they will eat their provifions dry, they are apt to 
dip them in w^ater whenever opportunity ferves : 
and they have one peculiarity v/hich few other ani- 
mals are found to pofiefs; in drinking, they both 
luck up their liquor like the horfe and lap it like 
tiie dog with equal facility. 
RAl-IAS. A name by which feme naturalifts 
cxprefs the torpedo or cramp-fifh. 
RAIA, A diftinft genus of animals, of the 
general order of nantes, in the Linnxan fyftem : 
tlie diftinguiflning chara£ters are; that the body is 
flatted; that the mouth is placed under the head ; 
and that there are five bronchial apertures on each 
fide of the neck underneath. 
According to Artedi, the charafteriftics of this 
genus of fifl-ics are; that they are of the chondrop- 
teryglous kind; the apertures of the bronchia; 
are five on each fide, ficuated on the breaft a lit- 
tle below the mouth; the head and whole body 
are of a remarkably depreffed figure ; the fides 
are term/matcd in broad fins; the eyes are placed 
• in the upper fide of the head, and the mouth ge- 
VoL. IL 
R A I 
nerally in the lower; and there is a foramen on 
each fide of the head behind the eyes. 
There are nine fpecies of this genus, five 
with fliarp, and four with obtufe teeth. See 
Ray. 
RAIL, OR WATER RAIL; the Rallus 
Aquaticus of Linnseus. This bird has a long, 
flender body, with fliort concave wings ; the bili 
is flender, (lightly incurvated, and about one inch 
and three quarters long; the upper mandible is 
black edged with red, the lower orange-co- 
loured; and the irides are red. The head, the 
hind part of the neck, the back, and the coverts 
of the wings and tail, are edged with an olive 
brown; the bafe of the wing is white; the quill- 
feathers and fecondaries are dufKy; the throat, 
bread, and upper part of the belly, are afli-co- 
loured; and the fides under the v/ings are beauti- 
fully variegated with black and white bars. The 
tail, vv^hich is very fliort, confifts of twelve black 
feathers; the tips of the two central ones areruft- 
coloured ; and the under coverts of the tail are 
white. The legs are placed far behind ; the toes 
are very long, and divided at their origin ; never- 
thelefs, the Rail takes the water, fwims with great 
facility, and is often obferved to fl^im along the 
furface. 
This bird is lefs ambitious of flying than run- 
ning, which lafl: it does very fwiftly along the 
margins of ftreams. Pennant fays that the Wa- 
ter Rail is properly Jui generis, agreeing with no 
other tribe; though Briffon and Linnsus place it 
with the Land Rail, and Ray with the water-hen. 
It's flefh is much admired. 
Rail, Land; the Rallus Crex of Linnsus. 
This bird, which is common in the Hebrides, the 
Orkneys, and other parts of Scotland, is migra- 
tory, leaving this kingdom before winter. It has 
a ftrong, fhort, thick bill; long legs; and a fin- 
gular note, refembling the v/ord Crex often re- 
peated. The crown of the head, the hind part of 
the neck, and the back, are black, edged with 
bay; the coverts of the v/ings are of the fame co- 
lour, but not fpotted; the tail is Ihort, and of a 
deep bay ; the belly is white ; and the legs are ci- 
nereous. 
Thefe birds are alfo very numerous in Angle- 
fea, where they appear about the 20th of April ; 
and are fuppofe.d to come from Ireland, in which 
ifland they abound. 
Rail, Ceylonese. This fpecies is about the 
fize of the common kind: the bill is lead-co- 
loured; the head, neck, and breaft, are ferrugi- 
nous; the back and coverts of the wings arc 
brown ; the primaries are dufky; the belly is white, 
tranfverfely barred with black; and the tail is very 
fiiort, and of a brownifh colour. 
Rail, of Loton. This bird, which was firfl; 
defcribed from the colleftions of Governor Loten, 
is a native of Ceylon, and confiderably larger than 
the European bird of the fame name. The bill 
is red; the head is dufky; the neck, the upper 
part of the back, and the tail, are ferruginous; the 
coverts of the wings are alfb ferruginous; and the 
primaries are black. The breaft, belly, and un- 
der- fide of the neck, are of a light reddifli clouded 
brown hue; and the legs are red. 
RAIN-FOWL. An Englifh appellation 
given by many authors to the common green 
woodpecker, or picus viridis, from an obferva- 
tion that it is always moft clamorous before the 
approach of rainy weather. For the fame reafon 
3 K the 
