RALLIDiE — THE RAILS — RALLUS. 
351 
and Crex, have this member comparatively short and thick. The Coots and Gallinules 
have the base of the culmen continued upon the forehead, where it widens out into a 
more or less gibbous or expanded plate or frontal shield. The Coots, however, are 
peculiar in having the toes fringed with scalloped flaps or lateral lobes. 
The three sub-families of Rallidce occurring in North America may be thus 
distinguished : — 
Rallinae. No frontal process ; toes without lateral lobes ; size variable ; bill sometimes 
much elongated. 
Gallinulinae. A frontal process, as in Fulicince; toes without lateral lobes ; size large. 
Fulicinse. A frontal process, as in Gallinulince ; toes with a lateral lobed margin ; size 
large. 
The several sub-families having thus been defined, the North American genera 
may be characterized as follows : — 
Sub-family RALLIN7E. — The True Rails. 
A. Bill slender, equal to or longer than the tarsus. 
1. Rallus. [Characters as above.] 
B. Bill stout, not more than two thirds the tarsus (usually much less). 
2. Forzana. Middle toe about equal to or slightly longer than tarsus ; base of gonys not 
forming a decided angle ; middle of culmen decidedly depressed, or concave. 
3. Crex. Middle toe shorter than tarsus ; base of gonys forming a decided angle ; middle of 
culmen scarcely appreciably depressed. 
Sub-family GALLINUL1NJE. — The Gallinules. 
4. Ionornis. Nostril small, oval ; middle toe shorter than tarsus ; toes without trace of 
lateral membrane ; inner posterior face of tarsus with a single row of large quadrate 
scutellse. 
5. Gallinula. Nostril elongated, slit-like ; middle toe longer than tarsus ; toes with a 
decided indication of lateral membrane ; inner posterior face of tarsus covered with 
several irregular rows of small hexagonal scales. 
Sub-family FULICIN/E. — The Coots. 
6. Fulica. Nostrils, and proportionate length of toes and tarsus, as in Gallinula ; toes 
bordered with a very wide, scalloped, lateral membrane ; inner posterior face of tarsus 
covered with small scales, as in Gallinula. 1 
Genus RALLUS, Linnzeus. 
Rallus, Linn. S. N. ed. 10, 1758, 153 ; ed. 12, 1766, 261 (type, R. aquations, Linn.). 
Char. Bill longer than the head, rather slender, compressed ; upper mandible slightly curved ; 
nostrils in a long groove, and with a large membrane ; wings short ; tertiary quills long, frequently 
longer than the primaries ; tail very short ; legs moderate ; tarsus shorter than the middle toe, and 
covered on all sides with transverse scales ; toes long and rather slender ; inner toe rather shorter 
than the outer ; hind toe short and weak. 
This genus contains numerous species, inhabiting all the temperate countries of the world, and 
very similar in their habits, and frequently in appearance. Their long toes enable them to run 
over and climb amongst aquatic plants with great facility. 
1 A South American genus, Porphyriops, Pucheran, belonging to the Gallinulinne, is much like Gal- 
linula, but has the lateral margin to the toes more decidedly developed, the gonys very short, and much 
ascending terminally, the culmen very straight, and the frontal shield small and very pointed. 
