**Rallus**, the Rail, in ornithology; a genus belonging to the order of grallae. The beak is thickset at the base, compressed, equal, acute, and somewhat sharp on the back near the point; the nostrils are oval; the feet have four toes, without any web; and the body is compressed. There are 10 species, principally distinguished by their colour. The most remarkable are,

1. The aquaticus, or water-rail, is a bird of a long slender body, with short concave wings. It delights less in flying than running; which it does very swiftly along the edges of brooks covered with bushes: as it runs, it every now and then flirts up its tail, and in flying hangs down its legs; actions it has in common with the water-hen. Its weight is four ounces and a half. The length to the end of the tail is 12 inches: the breadth 16. The bill is slender, slightly incurved, one inch three quarters long: the upper mandible black, edged with red; the lower, orange-coloured: the head, hind part of the neck, the back, and coverts of the wings and tail, are black, edged with an olive brown; the throat, breast, and upper part of the belly, are ash-coloured: the sides under the wings as far as the rump, finely varied with black and white bars. The tail is very short, consists of 12 black feathers; the ends of the two middle tipped with rust colour; the feathers immediately beneath the tail white. The legs are placed far behind, and are of a dusky flesh-colour. The toes very long, and divided to their very origin; though the feet are not webbed, it takes the water; will swim on it with much ease, but is often observed to run along the surface.

2. The porzana, or gallinule, is not very frequent in Great Britain, and is said to be migratory. Inhabits the sides of small streams, concealing itself among the bushes. Its length is nine inches; its breadth, 15: its weight, four ounces five drachms. The head is brown, spotted with black; the neck a deep olive, spotted with white: the feathers of the back are black next their shafts, then olive-coloured, and edged with white: the scapulars are olive, finely marked with two small white spots on each web: the legs of a yellowish green.

3. The crex, crake, or corn-crek, has been supposed by some to be the same with the water-rail, and that it differs only by a change of colour at a certain season of the year: this error is owing to inattention to their characters and nature, both which differ entirely. The bill of this species is short, strong, and thick; formed exactly like that of the water-hen, and makes a generical distinction. It never frequents watery places; but is always found among corn, grass, broom, or furze. It quits the kingdom before winter; but the water-rail endures our sharpest seasons. They agree in their aversion to flight; and the legs, which are remarkably long for the size of the bird, hang down whilst they are on the wing; they trust their safety to their twilights on foot, and seldom are sprung a second time but with great difficulty. The land rail lays from 12 to 20 eggs, of a dull white colour, marked with a few yellow spots; notwithstanding this, they are very numerous in this kingdom. Their note is singular, resembling the word crex often repeated. They are in greatest plenty in Anglesea, where they appear about the 20th of April, supposed to pass over from Ireland, where they abound: at their first arrival it is common to shoot seven or eight in a morning. They are found in most of the Hebrides, and the Orkneys. On their arrival they are very lean, weighing only six ounces; but before they leave this island, grow so fat as to weigh above eight. The feathers on the crown of the head and hind-part of the neck, are black, edged with bay colour: the coverts of the wings of the same colour, but not spotted; the tail is short, and of a deep bay: the belly white; the legs ash-coloured.