The New Student's Reference Work/Rail

Rail, any one of a group of shore-birds found in marshes. They have the habit of skulking, instead of taking to wing, when pursued, and, therefore, are more frequently heard than seen. They are extremely shy. They have slender bills and long powerful legs; are small or of medium size; the body is wedge-shaped, allowing the creatures to make their way through close, marshy undergrowth. Although the wings are short and rounded, the birds in their migrations cover great distances. They are united with the coots into one family, but the toes of the rails are completely divided, those of the coots are lobed. The Carolina rail or sora is the most common one in the United States. It is found in the whole of temperate North America, but is more abundant east during migration, as it breeds chiefly in the northern part of its range. It is about eight and one half inches long, with the upper parts olive-brown, streaked with black; the breast is slaty and the belly white. The Virginia rail also is common. The king-rail or freshwater mud-hen is the largest and finest of the American true rails, being about 17 inches long. It is common in some sections of the United States. The yellow and the black rails are less common. The common water-rail of Europe is found in marshy districts of the British Isles and many parts of Europe. Like the American rails, it nests in the grass.

RAIL