4;j. M-.MiiiA. 375 



or less elevated ; a pair of wattles, one on each side behind the angles 

 of tlie gape. 



1st primary shorter than the 2nd, which is equal to or rather 

 longer than the loth : .5th slightly the longest. 



Tarsus not armed with spurs, rather longer than the middle toe 

 and claw. 



Tail composed of IG feathers, fairly long and somewhat rounded, 

 the middle pair of feathers being about 4 an inch longer than the 

 outer pair. Tail-coverts reach to within half an inch of the 

 extremity of the tail. 



(jeneral plumage black, spotted with white, the outer webs of the 

 first four or five secondaries arc not margined with pure white. 



Raivje. Africa and Madagascar. 



Key to the Species. 

 (Sexes similar in plumage.) 



A . A wide collar of vinous grey covering the 



upper part of the mantle and chest melea(/ris, p. 375. 



B. No vinous grey collar. 



a. No horny bristles at the base of the bill. 

 a'. Bony helmet long, elevated, and com- 

 pressed (height 1 *-l'5 inch, length 

 •9 1), tarsus 3'1, middle toe (with 



claw) 2(J-j coronata, p. 376. 



b' . Bony helmet less elevated and stouter 



(height '7 inch, length 1'2), tarsus 3'5, 



middle toe (with claw) 3-15 marungensis, p. 377. 



c' . Bony helmet elevated, cylindrical, and 



slightly curved backwards (height 2'1 



inches, length '.So), tarsus '2'1, middle 



toe (with claw) 2-4 cornuta, p. 378. 



d'. Bony helmet short, stout, and conical 



(height -8 inch, length '9), tarsus 32, 



middle toe (with claw) 2-6 mitrata, p. 378. 



b. A bunch of homy bristles at the base of 



the culmen ^>^i7o/7iy«c/irt, p. 379. 



1. Ntunida meleagris %• 



Numida meleagris, Linn. S. N. i. p. 273 (1766) ; Gmel. S. N. i. pt. ii. 

 p. 744(1788); Lat/i. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 621 (1790); Bonnat. Tabl. 

 Ennicl. Meth. i. p. 191 , pi. 85. fig. 1 ( 1791) ; Temm. Pig. et Gall. ii. 

 p. 431(1S13), iii. p. 680(1815); Steph. in Shatr'.-i Gen. Zool. xi. 

 p. 258 (1819); Less. Traite d'Orn. p. 497, pi. 81. fig. 2 (1831); 

 Jiird. Nut. Lib., Orn. iii. p. 229, pi. 29 (1836) ; Grm/, Li^t B. pt. iii. 

 Gall. p. 29 (1844) ; id. Gen. B. iii. p. 501, pi. 128. fig. 2 (1845) ; 



* The height is measured from the middle of the base to the apex. 



+ The length is measured at the base of the helmet. 



J Cabanis, J. f. O. 187ii, p. 2Ut. describes a supposed new species from Zanri- 

 b;ir under the name of yii'itida oriciitali.% but it appears to be only a domestic 

 variety of yxinUla meleagris with abnormally developed wattles (1 iuch wide 

 and I au inch long) at the angle of the gape. 



