Genus — P 0 R Z A N A . 
PoRZANA Vieillot, Analyse, p. 61 (1816) . . . . . . . . P. porzana. 
? Zaporina Forster, Syn. Cat. Brit. Birds, p. 59 (1817). 
Zapornia Stephens, in Shaw’s Gen. Zool., XII., pt. I., p. 230 (1824) P. parva. 
Phalaridion Kaup., Skizz. Entw.-Gesch. Nat. Syst., p. 173 (1829) P. parva, 
(Also spelt Phalaridium.) 
RalUtes Pucheran, Rev. Zool., p. 277 (1845) P. parva. 
Mustelirallus Bonaparte, Compt. Rend., XLIII., p. 599 (1856) . . P. alhicolUs. 
(Also spelt MustelUrallus.) 
Galeolimnas Heine und Reichenow, Nomencl. Mus. Hein., p. 320 
(1888). 
Poliolimnas Sharpe, BuU., B.O.C., I,, p. XXVIII. (1893) . . . . P. cinerea. 
Species generally as small as or smaller than members of the genus Eallus, 
with short stout bUls and long slender toes. The bill is generally shorter than 
the head, with the nasal groove and nostrils much as in Eulabeornis. The 
culmen is shorter than the tarsus, which is usually much less than the middle 
toe and claw. Other characters much as in Rallus. Twenty species and 
subspecies are known. 
Distribution. Cosmopolitan. 
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