THE THICK-BILLED PARTRIDGES. I55 



number. 'J'hey are active birds, running very quickly and pro- 

 curing their food among the fallen leaves in the midst of the 

 vast forests. The stomachs examined contained fruits, berries, 

 insects, small stones, and a little sand. 'J'he loud and remark- 

 able voice of this bird is only heard in the forests, where it com- 

 mences the call before daybreak, the sound reverberating to a 

 great distance. Azara says that the cry is uttered by both 

 sexes, but the Prince was of opinion that only the male bird 

 called. During the morning and evening twilight the Capu- 

 eiras perch on a branch in a line very close one to another, 

 and at this time the male birds frequently give vent to their cry. 

 The sport afforded by these birds closely resembles that offered 

 by Hazel Grouse ; when a covey is disturbed by the dogs, they 

 fly into trees and may sometimes be easily killed, but at other 

 times they are lost sight of in the dense foliage. 



Nest. — Placed on the ground. 



Eggs. — Ten to fifteen in number ; pure white. 



III. THE BLACK-EARED PARTRIDGE. ODONTOPHORUS 

 MELANOTIS. 



Odo7itophoriis melanotis, Salvin, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 586; Ogilvie- 

 Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 435 (1893). 



Adult Male. — Top of the head and eyebrow-stripes uniform 

 chestnut ; ear-coverts, chin, and throat black; general colour of 

 the chest and under-parts deep chestnut. Total length, 9-5 

 inches; wing, 5-8; tail, 2*2; tarsus, 175; middle toe and claw, 

 1-85. 



Adult Female. — Probably differs from the male in having the 

 inner webs of the secondary quills tipped with buff, but I have 

 been unable to examine any female specimens in which the 

 sex has been actually ascertained. 



Range. — Central America ; Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and 

 Veragua. 



Habits.— Very few notes are to be found respecting the habits 



