68 



Family III. PARRIDiE. 



Palate schizognathous. 



Dorsal vertebrae opisthocoelous. 



Basipterygoid processes present. 



No occipital foramina. 



Spinal feather-tract forked on back. 



General aspect that of a Kail. Toes enormously long, and armed 

 with straight spur-like claws, the hind toe very long with a claw 

 exceeding it in length. 



Nest a floating mass of grass and weeds. 



Eggs pear-shaped, elossy, uniform olive in Hydrophasis and Meto- 

 pidius; in the other genera thickly scrawled over with black. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. No frontal shield or lappet ; centre tail- 



feathers greatly elongated, exceeding the 

 length of the body ; primaries attenuated 

 towards the ends, the shafts of the outer 

 ones, at all ages and seasons, produced in 

 such a manner as to form a kind of elon- 

 gated terminal plume in continuation of 

 those quills ; a small sharp spur on the 

 carpal joint 1. IIydhophasis, p. 69. 



b. With a frontal shield or lappet ; primaries 



not produced at the ends. 

 a . With a frontal shield, rounded or trun- 

 cate posteriorly. 

 a". Frontal shield large, not leaf-like 

 and unattached, but occupying the 

 anterior part of the crown to behind 

 the line of the eve ; spur obtuse and 



feebly developed 2. Mktopidius, p. 72. 



V' . Frontal shield very small, not extend- 

 ing as far as the line of the eye, and 

 unattached posteriorly to the skull, 

 leaf-like in character ; spur on the 

 winp: obtuse and scarcely developed 



at all 3. Phyllopkzus, p. 70. 



b'. With a frontal lappet, leaf-like, with an 



erect central comb 4. Hydealector, p. 79. 



c . With a frontal lappet, leaf-like and 



divided posteriorly. 



r". Frontal lappet with a single median 



indentation behind ; a small pendent 



lappet at the antrle of the mouth ; 



spur on wing well developed and 



very sharp 5. Jacaxa, p. 81. 



d". Frontal lappet with a double inden- 

 tation behind, with no pendent rictal 

 lappet ; spur on wing strongly deve- 

 loped, long, and very sharp 6. Asarcia, p. 86. 



