VIRGINIA RAIL. 509 
equalling or exceeding tarsi, simple orlobate. Bill not constricted in the middle, rather 
ahorter than head, straight and quite stout; or much longer, regularly slender and 
decurved, with long nasal fosse. Nostrils incompletely or not perforate. 
Sub-family Ratuinm. Rails. 
Feet simple; head without frontal plate. 
Genus RALLUS  Linnzeus. 
Bill longer than the head, curved. 
RaLLusS ELEGANS Aud. 
Eresh-water Marsh Eien. 
Ralius elegans, WHEATON, Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1860. 369, 378; Reprint, 1861, 11, 20; Food 
of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Rep., for 1674, 573; Reprint, 1875, 13.—LaNa@pon, Cat. 
Birds of Cin., 1877, 16; Revised List, Joarn. Cia. Soc. Nat. Hist., i, 1079, 189; Re- 
print, 18; Summer Birds, ib., iii, 18¢0, 227. 
Rallus elegans, AUDUBON; Orn. Biog, ili, 1835, 27. 
Above brownish-black ; variegated with olive-brown, becoming rich chestnut on the 
wing coverts; uader-parts rich rafous or cinnamona-brown, usually paler on tae middle 
of the belly aud whitening on the throat; flanks and axillars blackish, white-barred. 
Leneth, abont 16; wing, 5-6; tail, 2-24; bill, 24; tarsus, 2; middle toe and claw, <4. 
Female smaller. 
Habit st, United States, rather southerly. North on the Atlantic coast reg xlarly to the 
Middle States, casually to Connecticut; in the interior to Kansas and Missouri at least; 
on the Pacific side to Oregon and Washingtor. Cuba. Mexico. Winters in the South- 
( le 
Not an uncommon migrant, most frequently seen in spring. Prob- 
ably a summer resident breeding in extensive swamps and marshes. 
Dr. Howard E. Jones informs me that he has taken the young in the 
vicinity of Circleville. It is frequently confounded with and known as 
the Clapper Rail, but the latter is confined to the vicinity of salt water, 
and is a bird of duller plumage. 
The eggs measure about 1.66 by 1.10. The color varies from dull white 
to cream or pale buff, with reddish-brown markings. 
RaALLvs ViIRGINANUS L. 
Virginia Rail. 
Rallus virginianus, NUTTALL, Man. ii, 1835, 205.—KIRTLAND, Ohio Geolog. Surv, 1838, 
165, 185.— WHEATON, Field Notes, i, 1861, 153; Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1860, 369, 3783 
Reprint, 1861, 11, 20; Food of Birds, etc., Chio Agric. Rep. for 1874, 573; Reprint, 
1875, 13.—LANGDON, Cat. Birds of Cin., 1877, 16; Revised List, Journ. Cin. Soe. Nat, 
Hist., i, 1879, 184; Reprint, 18. 
Virginia Rail, BALLOU, Field and Forest, iii, 1878, 136. 
Rallus virginianus, LINN208, Syst. Nat., i, 1766, 283. 
