Gallinaceous Birds. 71 



The division of this large section of 

 birds, comprising sixty-eight species, is 

 rendered still more difficult by reason of 

 the great difference which exists in the 

 form and plumage of the two sexes of 

 many of the species. 



In order therefore to render the iden- 

 tification of both sexes of these game 

 birds as easy as possible, I have found 

 it necessary to make use of a considerable 

 number of small natural groups, which are 

 designated, in almost all cases, by names 

 familiar to the Indian sportsman. 



Each of these groups is defined by a 

 combination of a few simple characters, 

 and no combination is common to two 

 groups. Should the sportsman, therefore, 

 meet with a game bird of this section with 

 which he is unacquainted, his first step 

 will be to find from the following state- 

 ment the group to which it belongs. I 

 believe he will have no difficulty in 

 locating the bird, whether it be an adult 

 cock or hen or a fully grown young bird. 



For further particulars regarding the 

 structural characters of each group, the 

 reader is referred to the introductory 

 article on each group. 



