174 
GRUIFORMES 
According to actual records, it is one of the rarest birds in Canada. Its 
habits do not seem to differ much from those of the other rails, except that 
it does not require as much water in its habitat, and is more often found 
on the shoreward, grassy sides of marshes than in wet, reedy locations. 
Its notes are said to be like the sound of two stones tapped together, with a 
very plain rhythm — tick , tick — tick, tick, tick — tick, tick, tick — tick , tick — 
and so on in alternate twos and threes. 
216. Black Rail, le rale noir. Creciscus jamaiccnsis. L, 5 -50. A very diminu- 
tive rail, hardly larger than a sparrow. Nearly black in coloration; head, breast, and 
below dark slate-grey, darkest, to nearly black, on crown. Above, dark woody brown 
with many small, white, round spots. A rich rufous blended band across shoulders and 
lower neck. 
Unsubstantiated records of this minute little rail have come from the Prairie Provinces, 
and southern Ontario and Quebec, but it is even more difficult to observe than the Yellow. 
Some of the specimens reported from southern Ontario have proved to be juvenile Vir- 
ginia Rails. Very little is known of its distribution. The rail to be expected is the Northern 
Black Rail (Le Rale noir du nord) C. j. stoddardi. It may possibly occur in Manitoba, or 
its close relative, the Faralone Rail C. j. coturniculus, on the coast of southern British 
Columbia. 
Distinctions. Very small size, extremely dark colour, and fine speckles of white on 
the back. 
217. Com Crake, le rale gen£:t. Crex crex. L, about 10-25. Considerably 
larger than any of our other short-billed Rails and with much distinct ochre on back and 
ruddy on wings. 
Distinctions. As above. 
Distribution. Europe and northern Asia. There are a few records for Greenland 
and the eastern American coast. Its status as a Canadian bird rests on a single erratic 
specimen taken on southern Baffin Island. 
Subfamily — Gallinulinae. Gallinules or Mud-hens 
Rather large, duck-like birds with long toes without webs. Bill 
extending up forehead and usually brilliantly coloured in adult. Much 
like Coots, but note webless toes. 
218. Purple Gallinule. la poule d’eau pourpree. Ionornis martinica. L, 13. 
Like the Florida Gallinule (See next species), but deep purple breast and neck and shining 
olive-green on back. 
Distinctions. Like the Florida Gallinule, but more highly coloured in blues, purples, 
and greens. Juvenile usually with enough traces of colour for recognition and without 
any white on flanks. Easily separated from the coot by foot characters (Figure 248, 
compare with 249). 
Field Marks. Gallinule or Mud-hen outline, decided blue iridescence, yellow legs,, 
and all white undertail-coverts. 
Distribution. Tropical and subtropical America, south regularly to the Carolinas. 
There are casual records for the eastern provinces and southern Ontario. 
219. Common Gallinule. rice-bird. mud-hen. red-billed mud-hen. la 
poule d’eau ordinaire. Gollinula chloropus. L, 13-50. An almost evenly coloured, 
slate-blue bird; darker on head and a little 
lighter below, tinged with slightly iridescent 
reddish brown above; conspicuous white flank 
streaks and a small edging of the same under 
tail; bill and frontal plate (Figure 248) bright 
red; legs green with red garters just below the 
feathering. 
Distinctions. Distinguished from Purple 
Gallinule by the characters mentioned above; 
from the Coot, which it closely resembles, by 
red instead of white bill and frontal plate, 
white flank lines, brownish back, and clean, 
unwebbed toes. 
