TlNAilOUS. 15 



patches are present near the rump in certain forms. The eggs are 

 specially rcnuirkable, being highly glossed or bnrnished, and unlike 

 those of any other bird. 



Between sixty and seventy species arc enumerated in the most recent 

 treatise of the group. All are essentially ground-birds, and rarely 

 perch, but liaunt the undei-gro'.vth of thick forests, the grassy Hats inter- 

 spersed with bushes, or open pampas. They are great runners, and 

 generally ditlieult to flush; but once on the wing, their lliglit is strong 

 and swift. The cry is a mellow whistle composed of several notes, and 

 varies somewliat in the different species. The nest is a hole scraped in 

 the ground under the shelter of some bush or tuft of grass, and lined 

 with dry herbage and leaves, and, as in the Struthious birds, tlic male 

 undertakes the duties of incubation. Tlic number of eggs is said 

 to vary from four to sixteen, the latter number being probably the 

 j)rodnce of more than one female. The eggs vary in colour in the 

 <lifferent genera, some being vinous, reddish-chocolate, or dull purple, 

 others dark blue, blnish-greeu, sage-green, or primrose-colour, the shell 

 in all lesembling glazed porcelain or burnished metal. 



In all the Tinamous the plumage is inconspicuous, the general colour 

 being some shade of brown, greyish or buff, more or less mottled and 

 barred. One of the largest species is 77//«w«.s' .yo//7«/v'ws (25), a native 

 of Paraguay and Scnithern Brazil ; but the must familiar is the Uufescent 

 Tinamou [Rhijiichotus rufusceiis) (27), found in the open pampas from 

 Brazil southwards, and known as the "Pcrdiz grande." It has been 

 introduced into England, and stands our climate well ; but as a game- 

 bird it cannot be called a success, being of solitary habit and difficult 

 to flush. Once ou the wing its flight is very fast and extraordinarily 

 noisy; with constantly vibrating wings, the bird flies straight away 

 for about 1000 yards before it slopes gradually to the earth. Of the 

 other genera belonging to this section possessing a hind toe [Tinuiniace) 

 examples will be found in Nothoprocta perdicaria (28) and several 

 species of Cryptiirtis (29-32). Two genera have no hind toe and form 

 the section Tiuainoticliiue ; examples of both these will be found in 

 Tinamolis penthindi (33) and Calope~us eleyans (34), remarkable for its 

 long- crest of black featheis. 



