250 BI.AiiK-NKCKKI) STIJ»T.
The median ridge of the anterior part of the roof of the mouth is
furnished with a few short papillae. The tongue is 1 inch 2 twelfths
long, slender, tapering, emarg-inate and papillate at the base. The
oegophagus is; 7 inches long, with an average diameter of 4 twelfths ;
the provontriculus 9 twelfths long, and 6 twelfths in diameter. The
stomach is elliptical, 1 inch in length, twelfths in breadth ; its lateral
muscles of moderate strength, the right being 4 twelfths thick ;
the inner coat or epithelium dense, longitudinally rugous, and of a
brownish-red yolour. The intestine is 20 inches long, its diameter
varying from 3 to twelfths. The coeoa are Ifi'ineh long) A in diagnotor
at thé base, 2 twelfths towards the end, which is blunt.
The trachea, is inches long, rather wide*«its diameter at the upper
part 3 twelfths, gradually diminishing to twelfth the rings
120, unossifiod, excepting a few at. the lower part. The contractor
muscles are foe hie ; the sfcernortracheal slender. . The bronehi are very
short, with abort 10 half rings.
. The Priwje of Mi.suiXAxo Jjas introduced into his lately published
list a species of this genus, under the name of Himantopus Mexicawus.
I have received from Florida twi? skins, which from ¡their large size
might at first sight be thought tp diifer from thé «omimm kind; but
after closely comparing them with my other »pecimens, I can find,»»
difference indicative of a distinction of species. Nor have I eyegwet
lyith individuals in North America of any other species than that above
described.
Y E L L O W - B R E A S T E D B A I L .
RALLUS NOFEBORACENSIS, BONAF .
PLATE C3COXXIX. MAIK.
The 1'kinck of MrsresrAsio, who. purchased one of these birds in
the S ew York market, in February 1826, gave a-figure of it, and considered
it as aa arctic species. This ..pinion, however, is incorrect, for
the . » » b r e a s t e d Kail » a constant resident in the Peninsula- of the
Hondas, as well as in the lower parts of Louisiana, where I have found
it at all seasons. That a few straggling individuals should proceed
northwards, advancing eve., to pretty high latitudes, is not much to be
wondered at, as we have a similar case in the Common Gallinule. But
at the season mentioned the individual, referred to must have been for*
ced thither by a storm, as no Kails of any kind are found in that part •
of the country in winter.
In the neighbourhood of New Orleans, this species is found in all
the deserted savannahs, covered with thick long grass, and pools of
shallow water. There you hear its sharp and curious notes many times
in the course of the day, just as you hear those of Rallus crepitans near
the sea-sli..re, more especially a f t® the report of a gun, when they are
.louder and more quickly repeated. These sounds come'tin the ear so
as to induce you to believe; that the bird is nea r ; but whether this be
the case or not is not easily determined, for when you move towards a
spot in which you suppose it to be, the sounds recede at your approach,
' and you may think yourself fortunate if, after half an hour of seareh,
you discover one on wing. Indeed, if we have a bird in America
approaching in its habits the Corn Crake of Europe, it is the Yellowbreasted
Rai l ; and were I disposed to systematize, I should consider
it as- a connecting link between1 land and water birds, as in. some of its
habits it also resembles the European Quail, a bird as fond at times of
damp meadows bordering rivers as this: species is wont to be, when it
seeks for a place of safety in which to form its nest and rear its young.
In the Floridas, this bird is more abundant than even in Loui s iana;
and I met with it frequently in the course of my wanderings there, not
only on the mainland, but also on several of the keys, where they begin
breeding in March. On Sandy Island, near Cape Sable, I found several