DACTYLORTYX.—ODONTOPHORUS. 309 
is not sufficient to enable us to pass judgment on Mr. Nelson’s subspecies. Mr. Grant, 
however, is confident that they cannot be upheld. The birds from Yucatan, which 
are smaller and lighter in colour, and have a whiter breast and abdomen, are perhaps 
the most widely different. 
This is a true forest-bird, frequenting the edges of ravines on the mountain-sides, 
where it loves to bask in open sunny spots, and is generally met with in small coveys 
of from six to eight. Salvin found this species one of the commonest Quails on 
the Volcan de Fuego in Guatemala. He states4 that unless approached quite 
suddenly it refuses to take wing, preferring to escape by running, and consequently 
most of the specimens obtained by him were shot on the ground. They sit remarkably 
close, even when approached within a few feet, trusting to the colour of their plumage 
for protection. Gaumer!° found D. thoracicus equally common in all the eastern 
forests of Yucatan, where it is much esteemed as an article of food. At nightfall the 
bird utters a plaintive call, beginning with three low whistles. 
ODONTOPHORUS. 
Odontophorus, Vieillot, Analyse, p. 51 (1816); Grant, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 430 (1893). 
The Thick-billed Quails have the sexes similar or slightly different in plumage, a 
moderately long and full crest, the first flight-feather shorter than the tenth, the tail 
not more than half the length of the wing and composed of twelve feathers, and the 
claws normal. 
Of the sixteen species known, five occur within our limits, and the rest are confined 
to various parts of South America. 
1. Odontophorus marmoratus. 
Ortyx (Odontophorus) marmoratus, Gould, P. Z. 8. 1843, p. 107°. 
Odontophorus marmoratus, Scl. & Salv. P. ZS. 1864, p. 371°; Salv. P. Z. S. 1870, p- 218°; 
Zeledon, An. Mus. Nac. Costa Rica, 1887, p. 128; Grant, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxii. 
p. 433°; Handb. Game-Birds, ii. p. 153°; Ibis, 1902, p. 2437. 
Odontophorus guianensis, Lawr. (nec Gmel.), Ann. Lye. N. Y. vii. p. 301°. 
Odontophorus castigatus, Bangs, Auk, xviii. p. 356°. 
3 femine similis, sed collo postico et interscapulio magis cinereis, nigro transvermiculatis et albo minute 
punctatis ; dorso postico pallidiore, ochracescenti-brunneo, minute nigro notato, uropygio et supracaudalibus 
rufescentioribus ; gastrai fasciis letioribus, ochracescenti-fulvis. Long. tota circa 9:0, alee 5-4. (Descr. 
maris adulti ex Chepo. Mus. nostr.) 
Q. Supra brunneus, nigro et arenario minutissime vermiculatus ; scapularibus et secundariis intimis maculis 
nigris majoribus notatis, his intus ad apicem ochraceis; dorso postico, uropygio et supracaudalibus 
pallidioribus, vix olivaceo-brunneis, minute nigro punctulatis; alis brunneis, tectricibus arenario 
vermiculatim fasciatis et minute albo punctulatis ; remigibus et rectricibus sepiariis, arenario fasciolatis ; 
pileo cristato saturate brunneo, vix rufo lavato, nucham versus nigricante ; loris et facie laterali cum 
mento summo sordide castaneo-brunneis ; gutture fuscescenti-brunneo ; corpore reliquo subtus brunneo, 
fasciis arenarilis nigro marginatis maculatim ornato. Long. tota circa 9:0, ale 5:5, caude 2:1, culm. 0-7, 
tarsi 155. (Deser. femine adulte ex Bugaba. Mus. nostr.) 
