Sennett on the Clapper Rails. 
1889.] 
ceeded in obtaining the head and some wing and tail fearers.” The 
sented the remains of the Dovej*f'qui>^ion to me. It is No. 3210 in my 
catalogue. 
Milvulus forficatus^^lScissoR-TAiLED Flyca><^ier. — On December 10, 
ThisXTl believe, the second record for the island of Key West, anaSt can 
hlirdly be considered as accidental at that point. 
THE CLAPPER RAILS OF THE UNITED STATES 
AND WEST INDIES COMPARED WITH RALL US 
L ONGIROS IRIS OF SOUTH AMERICA. 
BY GEORGE B. SENNETT. 
In ‘Tabl. P. E.,’ 1783, Boddaert described Rallus longirostris , 
based on ‘ Rille si long bee, de Cayenne,’ Buff., ‘PI. Enl.,’ 849. 
In 1788 Gmelin described Rallus crepitans (S. N., Vol. I, 
pt. ii, p. 713) based on ‘Clapper Rail, from New York’ (Penn., 
Arct. Zool., II, 1781, No. 407). 
In 1868 (Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 442) Messrs. Sclater and Salvin 
give an admirable ‘Synopsis of the American Rails.’ In this 
synopsis the New York Rail {crepitans') is not separated from the 
Cayenne Rail {longirostris) but is made its synonym. 
In 1874 Mr. Lawrence described Rallus crassirostris (Ann\ 
Lyc. N. Y., Vol. X, Feb., 1874). Mr. Lawrence sent the Bahia 
specimen, which differed so much from the crepitans of our 
Atlantic Coast, to England and says, “on returning it, Mr. Sclater 
wrote, ‘is true longirostris , figured PI. Enl. 849.’” Again Mr. 
Lawrence says, “I find it agrees with Buffon’s plate (which is of 
reduced size) in the apparent color of the back, also in the form 
and stoutness of the bill” ; and again, “my specimen differed so 
much from crepitans , as well as from all others, that I considered 
