276 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA, 



Genus TURNIX, Bonnaterre. 

 Bill moderate and straight, with the culmen more or less 

 elevated at the base, but always curved, and the sides com- 

 pressed to the tip, which hangs over that of the lower mandi- 

 ble ; the gonys moderate and ascending ; the nostrils lateral, 

 basal, and placed in a long groove, with the opening linear, 

 and closed by a scale ; wings rather short, with the first, 

 second, and third quills equal and longest ; the tertials rather 

 shorter than the primaries ; tail short and graduated ; tarsi 

 longer than the middle toe, strong, and covered in front with 

 transverse scales ; toes long, and rather slender, with the 

 outer toe longer than the inner, the hind toe wanting; the 

 claws short, slender, and slightly curved. 



533. Turnix Hottentotus, Vieii. ; Pig. et Gal., 



Vol. 3, p. 557; Hemipodius Hottentotus, Temm. ; Cuv. 

 Vol. 3, p. 04; Shaw, Vol. 11, p. 321 ; Riet-Quartel, 

 and Sand-Quail of Colonists. 



Above, variegated black, brown, and white : the colours so 

 disposed on each feather as to make the bird appear scaley ; 

 sides of the head, chin, throat, and breast, clear rufous, the 

 sides of the latter variegated with a few black and white 

 bars ; belly and flanks albescent ; vent, pale-rufous. Length, 

 6" 4'" ; wing, 3" 4'" ; tail, l^". 



This handsome little bird is found sparingly throughout the colony, 

 evidently in the most southern part of the continent, taking the place 

 of the next species, S. Lepuy^ana. I never saw more than two 

 together, rarely even that. It frequents grassy places, and reeds in dry 

 vleys, whence its name. When flushed, it flies a short distance, drops 

 into cover, and instantly decamps, running with great rapidity. It feeds 

 on seeds and insects, and is usually very fat. It remains with us all 

 the year round, and I am told breeds in vleys, laying from seven to ten 

 eggs, like those of the common quail, but smaller, and only minutely 

 spotted. 



534. Turnix Lepurana ; Hemipodius Lepurana> 

 Smith, Zool. S. A., PL 16. 



Male, above, ground colour, intermediate between pale 

 rufous and light chesnut ; upper surface of head barred with 

 brown ; on the neck, back, and shoulders, numerous slender, 

 black-brown bars, or irregular crescents ; eyebrows, sides of 

 head, and stripe between base of bill and nape of neck, rusty- 

 white ; chin and throat dull- white ; middle of ^ breast, pale 

 Dutch-orange, with a few minute brown dots ; sides of breast 



