Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Sora \So"ra\, n. (Zo["o]l.)
   A North American rail ({Porzana Carolina}) common in the
   Eastern United States. Its back is golden brown, varied with
   black and white, the front of the head and throat black, the
   breast and sides of the head and neck slate-colored. Called
   also {American rail}, {Carolina rail}, {Carolina crake},
   {common rail}, {sora rail}, {soree}, {meadow chicken}, and
   {orto}.

   {King sora}, the Florida gallinule.

Ortolan \Or"to*lan\, n. [F., fr. It. ortolano ortolan, gardener,
   fr. L. hortulanus gardener, fr. hortulus, dim. of hortus
   garden. So called because it frequents the hedges of gardens.
   See {Yard} an inclosure, and cf. {Hortulan}.] (Zo["o]l.)
   (a) A European singing bird ({Emberiza hortulana}), about the
       size of the lark, with black wings. It is esteemed
       delicious food when fattened. Called also {bunting}.
   (b) In England, the wheatear ({Saxicola [oe]nanthe}).
   (c) In America, the sora, or Carolina rail ({Porzana
       Carolina}). See {Sora}.

Rail \Rail\, n. [F. r[^a]le, fr. r[^a]ler to have a rattling in
   the throat; of German origin, and akin to E. rattle. See
   {Rattle}, v.] (Zo["o]l.)
   Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds of the family
   {Rallid[ae]}, especially those of the genus {Rallus}, and of
   closely allied genera. They are prized as game birds.

   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 lonqirostris},
         var. {crepitans}); the king, or red-breasted, rail ({R.
         elegans}) (called also {fresh-water marshhen}); the
         lesser clapper, or Virginia, rail ({R. Virginianus});
         and the Carolina, or sora, rail ({Porzana Carolina}).
         See {Sora}.

   {Land rail} (Zo["o]l.), the corncrake.