GRALLATORES, RALLID&.
T H E W A T E R RAIL.
Rallus aquations, Water Rail,
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Penn. Brit, Zool. vol.filip. 114.
^loNTj Ornith.J)ict. ,.,
B ewick, Brju Birds, ,vol. ii. p. 134,
F lem. Brit. An; p.98.
SELBV/Brit. Ornith, Vol. ii. p. 172, -
J enth's, Brit. Vejt. p. 2177
'Gdui.B, Birds of Eur6pe, pt. iv.
Temm. lYLani d’Ornith, Vol. ii. p. 683.
R allus. '^Generic Characters.—Beak longer than the head, slender, slightly
curved downwards, compressed at the base, cylindrical at the point ; upper
mandible grooved at the sictes. Nostrils lateral, pierced longitudinally in the
lateral groove, partly covered, by a membrane^_XegS long and strong, with a
small naked's^ace abéve thé joint; three toes before, and one béhind; the
anterior toes divided to their; orig^ the hind toe articulated upon the tp$us»
Wings moderate, rounded ; the first quill-feather much shorter than the second,
the third and fourth quill-feathers the longest in the wing. '
T he W ater R ail, though well known as a species, is
not very abundant herewhi l e the habits of the bird, and the
nature of the localities it frequents, increase the difficulty of
observation. I t is found in the marshy districts of this country,
and delights to dwell among the rank vegetation of fens,
shallow pools, and water-courses, from which it can scarcely
be driven to take wing. If obliged to fly, to save itself from
being caught by an eager dog in close pursuit, its progress
through the air is slow, with the legs hanging down ; and it
drops again in the nearest 'bed of reeds, flags, or rushes, that
is, likely, from its size or density, to afford sufficient security.
The compressed form, of its body enables it to pass easily
through: the thickest herbage; while its lengthened toes assist
it to swim, and even to dive when necessary for its safety.
Dr. Fleming, in his paper on the Natural History of our
Water ' Rail, published in the Wernerian Memoirs, says,
ihThis. species is a native of the Old World. I t was first
noticed as an English bird by Merret; and, as a native of
Scotland, by Pennant. Sibbald, indeed, in his Scotia Illus-
tfata, enumerates the Rallus aquaticus among our northern
birds; but the description which he subjoins obviously belongs
to th® Common ..Gallinule. On the continent of Europe
it is considered as a summer bird of passage, and has
been observed crossing the Mediterranean Sea in the spring,
going northwards, and in autumn retiring southwards. I t
has, on many occasions, been found in the Atlantic Ocean
far from land, and in an exhausted condition ; a situation into
which it had probably beeri driven by stress of weather.”
Buffon says that a flight of Water Rails were seen at the
distance of fifty leagues from the coast of Portugal in the
middle of April, some of which were so fatigued that they
allowed themselves to be taken by the hand. The Rev. Robert
Holdsworth wrote me word that a bird of this species
flighted on the yard of a man of war, about five hundred
miles to the westward of Cape Clear, and at the same distance
from any known land. An officer of the ship caught
it, and took care of it, and carried it with him to Lisbon,