rail \rail\, n. f. r^ale, fr. r^aler to have a rattling in
   the throat; of german origin, and akin to e. rattle. see
   rattle, v. zool.
   any one of numerous species of limicoline birds of the family
   rallidae, especially those of the genus rallus, and of
   closely allied genera. they are prized as game birds.
   1913 webster

   note: the common european water rail rallus aquaticus is
         called also bilcock, skitty coot, and brook
         runner. the best known american species are the
         clapper rail, or salt-marsh hen rallus longirostris,
         var. crepitans; the king, or red-breasted, rail
         rallus elegans called also fresh-water
         marshhen; the lesser clapper, or virginia, rail
         rallus virginianus; and the carolina, or sora, rail
         porzana carolina. see sora.
         1913 webster

   land rail zool., the corncrake.
      1913 webster
see also:
rattle rallidae rallus rallus aquaticus bilcock skitty coot 
brook runner rallus longirostris rallus elegans fresh-water marshhen rallus virginianus 
porzana carolina sora land rail 

bilcock \bil"cock\, n. zool.
   the european water rail.
   1913 webster