the general name for a number of birds which have long bills, often more or less curved at the tip and compressed at the sides, short tails and comparatively short legs. Most of the members of this family frequent the marshes, though a few species are found on dry soil. Besides the rails proper, the coots, water hens and crakes are members of the family. Though some of them are very good swimmers and divers, all are rather poor upon the wing. Several are much hunted because of their delicate flesh. In the United States, the clapper rail, the king rail and the Virginia rail are the most common representatives of the true rails. For the egg of the last, see BIRDS, color plate. See also COOT; CORN CRAKE.