414 PHASIANID^. 



55. ORTYX.* „ 



Type. 

 Ortyx, Steph. in Shaio's Gen. Zool. xi. p. 376 (1819) ; 



Gould, Monogr. Odontoph., Introd. p. 1.3 (1850) . . 0. virp:iuianu3. 



Colinus, LesH. Man. d'Orn. ii. p. 190 (1828) 0. virginianus. 



Ortygia, Boie, Ists, 1828, p. 326 0. virginianus. 



Colinia, Nutt. Man. Orn. i. p. 646 (1832) O. virginianus. 



Sexes diiferent ; no distinct crest. 



1st primary falls between the 7th and 8th ; 4th slightly the 

 longest. 



Tail composed of 12 feathers, rather more than half the length 

 of the wing. 



Tarsus shorter than the middle toe and claw. 



Range. United States of North America, Mexico, and Cuba. 



Key to the Species (Males ) t. 



I. Chin and throat white, surrounded by a black 



band. 



A. Feathers of the middle of the breast and 



belly whitish or whitish buff, with V-shaped 

 black bars. 



a. Feathers of the mantle vinaceous rufous, 



the edges grey barred with black. 

 a . Bars on the breast narrower and less 



marked virginianus, p. 41.5. 



b'. Bars ou the breast wider and more 



conspicuous Jloridanus, p. 418. 



b. Feathers of the mantle barred and mottled 

 with pale rufous and black, and edged 



indistinctly with grey texatius, p. 419. 



B. Feathers of the middle of the breast and 



belly chestnut, irregularly edged and 



spotted with white on the sides cubanensis, p. 421. 



C. Feathers of the middle of the breast and 



belly didl reddish chestnut. 



c. Black band below the throat wider and 



extending over the upper part of the 



chest pectoralis, p. 421. 



d. Black band narrower, not extending on to 



the chest graysoni, p. 422. 



II. Chin and throat black. 



D. Middle of breast and belly uniform chestnut 



or dull brick-colour. 



e. Chin and throat black, chest dull brick- 



colour ridgwayi, p. 422. 



* Doubtful species : — 



Ortj-x affinis, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1830, p. 3 ; Reinhardt, Ihis, 1861, p. 115 

 (Virgin Islands), 

 t It has not been found possible to make any satisfactory key to the females. 



