264 ALLEN S naturalist's LIHRAKY. 



very old examples ; the bars, spots, and markings gradually 

 disappearing with age. 



To facilitate identification the twenty- one species and two 

 sub-species comprising this genus may be divided as follows : — 

 I. Leg (metatarsus) longer than the middle toe and claw. 

 A. Entire breast transversely barred wUh black ; belly 

 immaculate; sexes different in plumage. 



a. Chin and throat black or barred with black 



(females). 

 ^. Chin and throat white, the feathers on the 

 sides narrowly edged with black (males) 

 (species i to 4, pp. 265-270). 

 />. Middle of breast not transversely barred with black ; 

 throat never black. (Plumage of sexes similar in one 

 group, but slightly different in the other section.) 



c. Middle feathers of the tail lengthened, 



pointed a id edged with white or buff. 

 </\ Peathers of the mantle and back 

 edged with white or buff, giving the 

 back a scaly appearance. Plumage 

 of sexes practically similar. 

 rJ-. Middle of breast and belly, imma- 

 culate ; sides spotted or barrtd 

 with black (species 5-7, pp. 

 270-275). 

 l>^: Middle of breast and belly with 

 round black spots on most of 

 the feathers (species 8, p. 275). 

 d'. Feathers of the mantle and back prac- 

 tically uniform (species 9, p. 276). 



d. Middle tail-feathers not lengthened and 



pointed, nor edged with white or buff; 

 feathers of the back without any scaly 

 appearance. Sexes somewhat different in 

 plumage. 



