466 Noimi A.\ii;iacA2^ uiiiDS. 



Family PERDICID^. — Tin; pAnTKiDGES. 



CnAH. Nostrils protectod liy a naked scale. The tarsi bare and scutellate. 



The J'crdicu/a- dilliT rrmii the Crroiise in the bare le^s and naked nasal 

 fossae. They are nnieli smaller in size and more abundant in species. They 

 are widely distributed over the surface of the globe, a large number belong- 

 ing to America, where the subfamilies have no Old World re])resentati\es 

 whatever. The head seldom, if ever, shows the naked space around and 

 above the eye, so common in the Tdraonidcc ; and the sides of the toes 

 scarcely exhibit the peculiar pectination formed by a succession of small 

 scales or plates. 



Subfamily ORTYGIN^. 



Char. Bill stout, the lower inandilile more or less bideiitato on each side near the 

 end. 



The Oiiijijinw of Bouai)arte, or Odontophorina: of other authors, are 

 characterized as a group by the bidentation on either side of the edge of 

 lower mandible, usually concealed in the closed mouth, and sometimes 

 scarcely appreciable. The bill is short, and rather high at base ; stouter and 

 shorter than what is usually seen in Old ^^'orld Partridges. The culmen is 

 curved from the base ; the tip of the bill broad, and overlapping the end of 

 the lower mandible. The nasal groove is short. The tail is rather broad 

 and long. 



Synopsis of Genera found in the United States. 

 a. Head without crest. 

 Ortyx. Tail not much more than half the wings ; outstretched feet reach- 

 ing beyond the tail. 



b. Head with a crest of a few long narroir. keel-shaped feathers. 

 Oreortyx. Crest-feathers very long, linear ; tail scarcely more than half 

 tlir wiiiys; bill stout; claws blunt, the lateral not reaching the ba.se of the 

 niidille claw. Toes of the outstretched foot reaching beyond the tail. 

 Lophortyx. Crest-feathers widening much terminally, and recurved at the 

 ends. Tail nearly or quite as long as wing.s. Bill rather small. Claws 

 acute, the lateral reaching to the base of middle one. Toes not reaching the 

 tip of tail. 



r. Crest soft, full, and tufted ; composed of short, broad, depressed feathers. 

 Callipepla. Crest springing from the crown. Wing-coverts normal. Tail 

 stiH'ciii'd. nearly as long as the wing.s. Claws small, acute; outstretched 

 lei't lint reaching the tip of tail. 



Cyrtonyx. Crest occipital. Wing-coverts greatly developed. Tail verj' 

 small and soft. ; half as long as the wings. Toes short ; claws very long, 

 blunted ; outstretched feet reaching much beyond the tip of the tail. 



