of the United States, 335 
Rail, Rallus carolinus , ( virginianus ) Wils, Am. Orn. hi, 
p. £4. pi, 43, fig, 2, male. 
Inhabits at proper seasons throughout North, and in South 
America : very common during summer and part of the 
autumn in the middle states : wintering in tropical America. 
273. Rallus noveboracensis, Nob. Black, skirted with rusty, 
all over with transverse white lines ; beneath yellowish-rusty ; 
lower wing coverts pure white. 
Female and young duller, less lineated. 
Y ell ow -breasted Rail, Rallus noveboracensis, JSTob. Am, 
Orn. Hi. pi. 24. Fulica noveboracensis, Gm. Gallinula nove- 
boracensis, Lath. Rallus ruficollis, Vieill. Gal. des Ois , 
pi. 2 66 . bad fig. Perdix hudsonica? Lath. 
Inhabits throughout North America : rare : found in the 
neighbourhood of New-York, the western states, and on the 
remotest limits of the North-western territories. 
57. GALLINULA. 
Gallinula, Briss. Lath. Cuv. Temm. Ranz. Fulica, L. 
Gm. Crex, III. Hydrogallina, Lacepede. Gallinula , Par - 
phyrio, Vieill. 
Bill shorter than the head, rather stout, much higher than 
wide, tapering, compressed, straight, convex at the point ; both 
mandibles furrowed ; upper covering the margins of the lower, 
inclined at the point, the base spreading into a naked mem- 
brane covering the forehead ; lower navicular ; nostrils in the 
furrow, medial, lateral, oblong, pervious, half closed by a 
turgid membrane : tongue moderate, compressed, entire. 
Anterior toes extremely long, flattened beneath, bordered 
by a narrow membrane ; hind toe bearing on the ground 
with several joints : nails compressed, subarched, rather 
acute. Wings concave, rounded ; first primary shorter than 
the fifth ; second and third longest. Tail short, hardly ap- 
pearing from under the coverts. 
