rallidæ

from The Century Dictionary.

• A family of paludicole grallatorial precocial birds, typified by the genus Rallus, and divided into Rallinæ, Gallinulinæ, and Fulicinæ, or rails, gallinules, and coots, to which some add Ocydrominæ and Himantornithinæ; the rails and their allies.