VIRGINIAN RAIL. 
f 
^0® these imperfect specimens, the clapper rail hoing 
'“fosether unknown in Europe. 
i • never met M'ith any of these birds in Uie 
^rior at a distance from lakes or rivers. 1 have also 
® dili^ejit inqiiiry for them aloii^" the shores ol Lakes 
‘^^Rplaia and Ontario, but without success. 
2S7. RALLUS VJ&OINIANUSi LINK^KUS AND W’lLSON. 
VIRGINIAN RAIL. 
1‘LATE LXII. FIG. I.- — EDINBURGH COLLEGE JIUSEUXt. 
Oils 
much resembles the European 
species very — 
not {rallus aquaticu.%) but is smaller, and has 
4 J'® the slate or lead colour on the breast, u Inch 
that of the old continent ; its toes are also more 
pc'.''i.P’'°l>''i’tionahly shortei-, whi(^h, ivith a few other 
„,®Uharitipa ^^^sfi^l(nlish the snecics. 
It is far less 
j) '—'Hies, aisinipuisn mu species, 
ed^'roiis in this part of the United States than our 
r,j, rail, and, as I apprehend, inhabits more remote 
regions. It is frequently seen along the 
of our salt marshes, which the other rarely 
»ieal breeds theie, as well as among the 
the • border our large rivers. It spreads over 
it j *''[«rior as far west as the Ohio, having myself shot 
tiler ^wreiis of Kentucky early in May. The people 
observe them in wet places, in the groves, only in 
mod ^oeds less on vegetable, and more on animal, 
^eot oo™™®” ’■O'b During the months of 
S\,,^’'®'Oher and October, when the reeds and wild oats 
‘‘eeU '' latter species, feeding on their nutritious 
blit ® ob the iiresent kind arc occasionally found ; 
of Ooo for five hundred of the others. The food 
\V0; 
orrv,* P‘'®*oot; species consists of small snail shells, 
tlie*^^’ ^bie larval of insects, which it extracts from 
to p*^',**^ ’ bence the cause of its greater length of hill, 
aopJ'®"'® it the more readily to reach its food. On this 
OtK olso, its flesh is much inferior to that of the 
In most of its habits, its thin compressed form 
