ground or among the rank herbage, seeking for worms and insects. A few are found in dry situations, but their food is much of the same nature as that of their marsh-loving brethren, and very few appear to take any considerable portion of vegetable nourishment. Nearly all are valued for the table, and some are among the most delicious of viands. The following are included in this extensive and important order: the Rails, Jacanas, Snipes, Phalaropes, Sandpipers, Curlews, Ruffs, Tatlers, Stilts, Avocets, Spoon-Bills, Ibises, Storks, Cranes, Herons, Bitterns, Boat-Bills, Plovers, Oyster-Catchers, Pratincoles, Thick-Knees, Bustards, Trumpeters, &c.

THE RALLIDE OR RAILS.

In these the bill is short; the legs stout; the wings of moderate size, and in some genera armed

with spines at the carpal joint.
They feed principally upon
worms, mollusca, and insects;
but
many also eat a good deal
of vegetable food, such as
blades of grass and seeds.
Some of them are solitary,
others more or less gregari-
ous in their habits. They
build a large nest of dried.
grasses and sedges, placing it
upon the ground among thick
herbage; the eggs vary con-
siderably in number, and the
young are able to run, and
frequently to swim, as soon as
they are hatched.

Genus GALLINULA: Gallinula.-This embraces the European MOOR-HEN or WATER-HEN, Poule d'eau of the French, G. chloropus, thirteen inches long; upper parts olive-brown; beneath uniform slate-gray. It lives among the reeds and sedges along the banks of rivers and

lakes, feeding on insects, worms, mollusca, and seeds. It is often seen on rivers, ponds, and lakes, swimming with a nodding motion of the head. When disturbed they will take a short flight, but prefer a retreat to the rushes and sedges. They sometimes perch on trees overhanging the water. This species is partially domesticated in some parts of England, and several broods have been hatched in the canal of St. James' Park, London. It is widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is sedentary in England.

There are several species in the United States. The PURPLE GALLINULE, G. Martinica, is

fourteen inches long; general color a rich violet-purple. It passes the summer in Florida, Georgia and Louisiana, retiring further south with its brood in autumn. It is a vigorous, active

bird, concealing itself in the coarse herbage of the marshes, and taking wing with reluctance. While in the Southern States it frequents the rice-fields, rivulets, and fresh-water ponds, in company with the Florida species. It is occasionally seen in the Middle and Southern States.

The FLORIDA GALLINULE, G. galeata, closely resembles the European species, already described, as well as the Javanese species, G. ardosiaca. It is fourteen inches long, and is common in the West Indies and Florida; accidental in the Middle and Northern States in summer.

Genus FULICA: Fulica.-This includes several species, called Coots, which resemble the gallinules, but they are more exclusively adapted to an aquatic life; they live in salt as well as fresh water, and are seldom seen on the land. They are nocturnal in their habits, the old birds being rarely seen by day; they walk awkwardly on the land, and take wing with difficulty; sometimes they dive into the mud rather than rise from the water.

The COMMON Coor of Europe, F. atra, is sixteen inches long; whole plumage sooty-black, tinged with slate-color, though white varieties are sometimes seen. It is widely distributed over Europe and Asia; stationary in England.

The CINEREOUS Coor, F. Americana, is similar to the preceding, and was formerly supposed to be the same species; it is found in all the temperate parts of North America, and breeds over an extent of fifty degrees of latitude. The nest is secreted among the rank herbage on the surface of the water, and contains about eight eggs. The food consists of insects and mollusca, with abundance of gravel. During the winter it migrates southward, but only so far as may be necessary to obtain food; during this season they accumulate in the inundated, marshy districts of Florida in immense numbers, where they are very noisy, chattering by night and day. Genus RALLUS: Rallus.-To this belong the True Rails. The COMMON WATER-RAIL OF EUROPE, R. aquaticus, is eleven and a half inches long, olive-brown above, dull gray below; it is found in marshy districts, and delights to dwell among the rank vegetation. of shallow pools and watercourses. If surprised, it flies a short distance with its legs hanging down. It feeds on worms, snails, slugs, and vegetable matter. The nest is made of sedge and common grass, on the ground; the eggs are six to eight, and spotless white. It is common throughout the southern parts of Eu

rope and some portions of Asia, where it is stationary; a few are seen in Northern Europe in

summer.

There are several American species of this genus. The VIRGINIA RAIL or MUD-HEN, R. Virginianus, resembles the European water-rail; it is nine and a half inches long; black, sprinkled with brown, above; rufous beneath; feeds on worms, aquatic insects, fish, small mollusca, and seeds; lives along fresh-water streams and in morasses, and is occasionally seen on the sea-coast. It is migratory, and has a sharp cry, frequently uttered at night during the breeding season. The nest, situated in the wettest part of a marsh and fixed upon a tussock of grass, contains six to ten eggs, of a dirty white. It is found in the entire temperate portion of North America.

The CLAPPER RAIL OF SALT-WATER MARSH-HEN, R. crepitans, is fourteen inches long; above black, spotted with olive; beneath rufous; resembles the preceding, but is larger. In the course of its spring migrations northward, in the hours of twilight, it is often heard on its way uttering its loud, harsh cry. This becomes almost incessant after it has settled in its marshy tenement, and is particularly vehement before a storm.

The FRESH-WATER MARSH-HEN, R. elegans, is a large and beautiful species, nineteen inches long; upper parts streaked with brownish-black and light olive-brown; beneath bright orange and greenish-brown. It frequents fresh-water marshes and ponds in the interior, as well as along

the coast, from Texas to New Jersey; very abundant in the Southwestern States. It feeds on seeds, insects, tadpoles, leeches, and small crawfish; the nest is made on the ground, being raised six or eight inches by a mass of withered leaves and grass; eggs eight to ten.

Genus PORZANA: Porzana.This includes the COMMON RAIL of the United States, known by the various names of Carolina Rail, Soree Rail, English Rail-P. CarolinaOrtygometra Carolina of De Kay and Audubon, Rallus Carolinus of Bonaparte; it is nine and a half

inches long, brown-olive above, beneath varied with white, black, and ash. It breeds in the vast reedy swamps and lagoons throughout the temperate portions of the United States. Its flesh is greatly prized, and it is much sought for by the sportsmen of the Middle and Southern States, where it appears in large numbers in autumn, being particularly abundant along the shores of the Atlantic rivers, near their mouths. Other species are the LITTLE BLACK RAIL, P. Jamaicensis, found in the Middle and Southern States along the Atlantic shores, and the YELLOW RAIL, P. Noveboracensis, found in Eastern North America.

Genus CREX: Crex.-This includes several species of Rail, called Crakes in England. The prominent species is the CORN-CRAKE, CORN-DRAKE, or LAND-RAIL of the English, the Roi des Cailles of the French, Re di Quaglie of the Italians, and Wachtel-König of the Germans; C. pratensis. It is seven inches long, mottled above with dark brown, ash and reddish, breast olive, abdomen white. It is very shy, lives in grassy meadows, fields of young corn, and osier-beds; feeds on worms, snails, insects, larvæ, seeds, and grain; makes its nest on the ground, and lays from ten to twelve eggs. It is not easily flushed, but runs rapidly before a dog. The young are covered with a blackish down, and are almost immediately able to follow the mother upon being hatched. This species inhabits Europe generally; it is found in Greenland, and is accidental on the coasts of the United States.

LAND-RAIL.

Other species are the SPOTTED CRAKE, C. porzana; LITTLE CRAKE, C. pusilla; BAILLON'S CRAKE, C. Baillonii; all found in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Genus OCYDROMUS: Ocydromus.-This includes the O. Australis-Rallus trogodytes of Gmelin-seventeen inches long; color brown; it flies badly, but runs with great swiftness; never takes to the water, scratches the earth like a hen, and feeds on worms and grubs. Found in New Zealand.

interest; found in New Zealand, that strange land which is said to have but two indigenous quadrupeds a rat and a badger-but which produces several very original and remarkable birds. We have already spoken of the Diornis giganteus of this island, nearly twice as large as the ostrich. The bones of this, as well as of some smaller species, had. been found, but they were supposed to be extinct. In 1849, however, a party of seal-hunters, who were pursuing their avocations in Dusky Bay, having observed the trail of a bird in the snow with which the ground was then covered, determined to give chase. Proceeding in the direction of the footsteps, they at at last caught sight of the object of their pursuit. Their dogs gave chase, and finally, after a long hunt, the bird was captured alive, in the gully of a sound behind Resolution Island. It ran with great speed, uttered loud cries, and violently attacked the dogs. But, notwithstanding the long struggle, it was caught uninjured and taken on board ship, where, after having been kept alive for three days, it was at length killed and eaten, the sailors who partook of the meal describing the bird as most delicious food. Fortunately, these nautical epicures, who certainly were no great naturalists, did not pluck their bird, but skinned it, and Mr. Walter Mantell, son of the celebrated geologist, Dr. Mantell, being there, procured it, and thus we have a tolerably correct account of the bird. It was evidently a species of Rail, somewhat larger than a common fowl; the head, neck, breast, and flanks were of a brilliant purple; the back of a dark olive. It could not fly, but ran with great swiftness. This proved to be one of the smaller species above referred to, and received the name of Notornis Mantelli.

Probably the race is nearly extinct. Nay, Dr. Mantell believed this bird to be the last of its tribe. We are familiar with the fact that in remote eras, races have existed and have passed away; but to be in at the death, as it were, of a species, is somewhat startling, and naturally suggests curious, if not painful inquiries, as to the purpose of creations which are thus left to perish. So far as we know, creation has ceased upon this earth; there is no renewal of races that have died out, as there is no production of new ones that have never existed. We can see reasons for the disappearance of the iguanodon, the megatherium, the icthiosaurus and the mastodon, for they were gigantic and oppressive disproportions to the average of animal life; but why a gentle and beautiful and useful species like the notornis should be permitted to perish, is beyond the scope of human reason.

Genus PARRA: Parra.-To this belongs tne JACANA, P. Jacana, which is very numerous in Brazil. It has the wings armed with spines; the legs are long; the body light; the toes and claws exceedingly large, so that the bird can run with great ease on the floating leaves of aquatic plants. The claw of the hind toe resembles the blade of a lancet, whence this bird is called the surgeon. In running upon the leaves its feet sink a little, and hence it is said to have the appearance of walking on the water. Its food consists principally of vegetable substances. Other species are found in India and Africa. Another genus, analogous to the gallinules, is that of the