748 
U. S. P K. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 
RALLUS VIRGINIANUS, Linn. 
Virginia Rail. 
Rallus virginianus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 263, (may possibly refer to autumnal Porzana Carolina.) — Wils. Am. 
Orn. VII, 1813, 109 ; pi. lxii, f. 1.— Bon. Obs. Wils. 1825 ; No. 210.— Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 
205.— Aud. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 41 : V, 573 ; pi. 205.— Ib. Syn. 216.— Ib. Birds Am. V, 1842, 
174 ; pi. 311— Cab. Jour. 1856, 427. 
Rallus aquaticus, var. A. Lath. Ind. Orn. II, 1790. 
Rallus limicola, Vieill. 
" Rallus njthvhynchos, Vieill." Gray. 
Figures.— Edwards' Birds, VI, pi. 279.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, pi. 62, fig. 1.— Aud. B. of Am. pi. 205; oct. ed. V, 
pi. 311. 
Sp. Oh. — Much smaller than either of the preceding, but resembling them in form, and resembling also R. elegans in colors. 
Upper parts olive brown, with longitudinal stripes of brownish black ; line from base of bill over the eye reddish white. Throat 
white ; neck before, and breast, bright rufous ; abdomen and under tail coverts with transverse bands of black and white, the 
former being the wider. Upper wing coverts bright rufous chestnut ; under wing coverts black, with transverse lines of white. 
Total length, (from tip of bill to end of tail,) about 7| inches ; wing, 4 ; tail, 1| inches. 
Hab.— The entire temperate regions of North America ; New Mexico, (Dr. T. C. Henry ;) California, (Mr. R. D. Cutts ;) 
Oregon, (Dr. Geo. Suckloy.) 
Quite frequent in the States on the Atlantic, and now brought, for the first time, from west 
of the Rocky mountains. This little bird bears a singular resemblance to Rallus elegans m 
form and colors, and is one of the instances in which size is a specific and distinctive character. 
This species is found along the margins of the bays and rivers on the Atlantic, migrating 
southward in the autumn, and is remarkable for quickness of movement and swiftness of foot, 
running on the ground with great facility. It ranges northward into the British possessions. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When col- 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by — 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
4.16 
4.50 
1647 
2520 
418 
7057 
6654 
6653 
5999 
4450 
3 
S 
8 
3 
July 27, 1844 
Oct. 13,1845 
May 22, 1S41 
May 6,1857 
10.00 
10.00 
9.25 
14.25 
14.25 
14.00 
3 
72 
Port Townsend, Puget's Sound. . . 

1 
PORZANA, Vieillot. 
Porzana, Vieillot, Analyse, p. 61, (1816,) 61. Type Rallus porzana, L. 
Ch. — Bill shorter than the head, compressed, straight ; nostrils in a wide groove, with a large membrane ; wings moderate ; 
primaries longer than tertiaries ; tail short ; tarsus about the length of the middle toe ; toes long ; inner toe slightly shorter 
than the outer. General form compressed and slender ; legs rather robust. 
Contains about twenty species, generally inhabiting temperate regions, inhabiting marshes 
and borders of rivers. In the spring and autumn several species migrate in large numbers. 
