The DICT Development Group

  Skitty \Skit"ty\, n. [Cf. Skittish.] (Zool.)
     A rail; as, the water rail (called also skitty cock, and
     skitty+coot);+the+spotted+crake+({Porzana+maruetta">skitty coot); the spotted crake ({Porzana maruetta), and
     the moor hen. [Prov. Eng.]
     [1913 Webster]

  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.] (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]