The specimen figured was a female, killed on. thre -fifth óf
February by Mr. Titian Teale, at Key Tavernier, on the Florida
reef. Mr.-Peale took it for the much disputed Crying Bird of
Bartram^ Mr. Peale saw no other individual, but. that we have
described was brought by Mr. F. Cozzens from Florida V.öné or
tivo killed pn the- coast .of New Jersey near. Long Branch may
be seen in the American Museum at Yew York. Mr. Peale did
not,hear the bird u tte r any sound ; it was very unwilling to- fly,
and caused Mm some trouble to; make it rise from the thick
mangroves .and other bushes where it kept:f It appears to inhabit
the low shores and swâmps.of thé rivers and: lakes of Florida,,
and perhaps Georgia,, being merely a straggler north of: this.
Even there we must conclude it to fee rather a scarce species* as.
Mr. Peale could never get information about it, and èvén upon
showing it to the most experienced sportsmen, they declared
them selves unacquainted with it, exeept a few who called . it
Indian Hen, as they probably would any. other rare bird' óf its
.Size* . ft runs through, the grass exactly • in. the mariner of tS#
Rails, compressing its narrow body to pass through.a<Small'höië5
and very difficult.to catch when wounded. :
. ;:The Seplopaeeous feourian' is two fëet* and three-fourths of an
inch long, and three deet eight inches in extent. Thé billy which
lias but a small gape, and by no mean’s extending like that of the
Herons to beneath the ^eyes, measures four and three-quarter
inches in .length r of course dt is longer than the head» and may
■ be ■MUed.Vóiirisfe. iris-slender, quite stihight,-ton#
cotnpressed, being more than thrice higher than broad* and of a
corneous consistence r the upper mandible is of equal height
almost throughout, slender, from the base .to the middle it is
compressed, and channelled each side with a deep fitrfow covèred
by a kind ofcere-iike membrane ; from wjiere the forfriw ends ft
swells slightly oh each side, being there quite smooth, and even
appearing polished? there is no yestige' o f. a notch, as in thé
Herons, and-the.margins are perfectly entire: these margins from
the-middle to the angle- Of the mouth'-are tevo’liite inside and
obtuse, towards: • the. tip- rthey are nearly -vertieal and acute,
forming throughout inside a straight medial channel; the upper
ridge.’is somewhat depressed a t base, then' slightly inclined'to the
itip,-beihg obtuse, andna where sharp ttbe^Lower mandible at base
and beyond thé middle is of 'nearly equal height, straigktish in
the middle; op the sides 'a t bas^-it i&-'&o.v«£redv by a very thin
menjbrafte, and slightly furrowed lengthwise ? from the middle
to the point 'i t •'is as smooth and polished as the upper one,
excessively compressed, with th e ridge prominent," rather -acute Ut
tip the margins are perpendioular, approximated, ,very.~ent-ire; the
bifurcation of the sides is very long, extending beyond thé middle
of the mandible/ it iè narrowband the mental angle formed by-it
pakedv acute, enteringthecbFneous substa®c#..©f-the bill. The
nostrils are placed Eather distant from the Base, and in the lateral
furrow, they are entirely-perforated, longitudinal, and somewhat
elliptical: the tongue is 'elastic, narrow, and aejite. The bill is
yellow at base, and of a corneous blue-black a t tip : the eyelids
are yellow» the iris brown: the legs- pale lead-colour, and ‘the
nails black.
;■ -The feet are elongated, .and-’ much of the. tibia baked, the bare
sprite Measuring three inchriat the tafsrisj. four"rind a half .iricto®,
long,, much exc®cds the middle toé : the four toes are slender, all
deft from the,base, ,long, unequal» and compressed the-inner is
a little shorter than the outer, the middle longest, measuring three
inches without- the n a il; the hind' trie,.'is rather more -than one
inchi and slender« it -is inserted in an unusual manner, opposite
to the base of the inner tee, but much higher, and,,with only the
last joint, which is,.very' short, resting op the ground. Thé
unfeatheéed part of . the, tibia is coyefed beMrid with transverse