638 U. S. p. R. R, EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



Family PERDICIDAE. The Partridges. 



Ch. — Nostrils protected by a naked scale. Tlie tarsi bare and scutellate. 



The Ferdicidae differ from the grouse in the bare legs and naked nasal fossae. They are much 

 smaller in size and more abundant in species. They are widely distributed over the surface of 

 the globe, a large number belonging to America, where the sub-families have no old world 

 representatives whatever. The head seldom if ever shows the naked space around and above 

 the eye, so common in the Tefraonidae, and the sides of the toes, scarcely exhibit the peculiar 

 pectination formed by a succession of small scales or plates. 



The various species of Ferdicidae have been divided by Bonaparte into four sub-families, 

 Ferdicinae, Coiurnicinae, Turnicinae, and Ortyginae, while Gray unites the first two into one. 

 The common gray partridge or English partridge, {Perdix cinerea,) with several other 

 European species, belong to the first sub-family ; the common European quail [Coturnix 

 dactylisonans) to the second ; the third embraces the bush quails of the old world, while the 

 Ortyginae are entirely peculiar to the new world, which has no representatives in the other sub- 

 families. 



Sub-Family ORTYGINAE. 



Ch.— Bill stout, the lower mandible more or less bidentate on each side near the end. 



The Ortyginae of Bonaparte, or Odontophorinae of other authors, are characterized as a group 

 by the bidentation on either side of the edge of lower mandible, usually concealed in the closed 

 mouth and sometimes scarcely appreciable. The bill is short, and rather high at base ; stouter 

 and shorter than what is usually seen in Old World partridges. The culmen is curved from 

 the base ; the tip of the bill broad, and overlapping the end of the lower mandible. The nasal 

 groove is short. The tail is rather broad and long. 



The species are quite numerous, the number known to naturalists being about forty. They 

 occur mostly in Central America and Mexico, though the genus Odontopliorus is chiefly com- 

 posed of South American species. 



All the more important genera are represented within the limits of the United States, except- 

 ing Odontophorus. The following synopsis will convey a general idea of their character : 



Synopsis of genera. 

 a. Head tvithout crest. 

 Ortyx. — Tail not much more than half the wings; outstretched feet reaching beyond the tail. 



h. Head ivitli a crest of a few long narrow, heel-shaped feathers. 



Oreortyx. — Crest feathers very long, linear ; tail scarcely more than half the wings ; bill 

 stout ; claws blunt, the lateral not reaching the base of the middle claw. Toes of the out- 

 stretched foot reaching beyond the tail. 



LopnoRTYX. — Crest feathers widening much at the ends. Tail nearly or quite as long as 

 wings. Bill rather small. Claws acute, the lateral reaching to the base of middle one. Toes 

 not reaching the tip of tail. 



