THREE-TOED OR BUSTARD-QUAILS. 263 



In the skull the maxillo-palatine bones are not coalesced 

 with one another, nor with the vomer (see vol. i. p. i, fig. i) ; 

 the nasals are schizorhinal (fig. 2). The vertebrae are peculiar 

 in shape, and of the form known as heterocoelous. There is a 

 deep notch on each side of the posterior margin of the 

 sternum, extending for about two-thirds of its entire length, 

 and the well-developed episternal process is incompletely per- 

 forated to receive the bases of the coracoid bones, which are 

 only separated by a thin bony septum. 



Bill like that of the Galli-noe, but often not so strongly 

 developed. 



Feet generally with three toes only, the hind toe, or hallux, 

 being absent, except in Fedtonomus, which possess a rudimen- 

 tary hind toe. 



Oil-gland tufted. 



Tail very short, composed of soft feathers scarcely to be 

 distinguished from the longer upper tail-coverts. 



The first secondary quill not much shorter than the second, 

 and the fifth present. 



The young hatched covered with down, and able to run soon 

 after they are hatched. 



Eggs double-spotted, and three to five in number. 



One of the great peculiarities of this group is the fact that 

 the female is always larger and generally more handsomely 

 marked than the male, and the latter in the majority of species, 

 probably in all, incubates the eggs and tends the young 



FAMILY TURNICID^. 



THREE-TOED OR BUSTARD-QUAILS. GENUS TURNIX. 



Turnix^ Bonnat. Tabl. Encycl. Meth. i. pp. Ixxxii. 5 (1890). 



Type, T. sylvatica (Desf.). 



Hind toe J or hallux^ absent 



In all the birds of this genus there is a general tendency to 

 uniformity of coloration in the plumage of the upper surface of 



