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GRALLATORES, WADING BIRDS.—GEN. 188. 239 
188. Genus CYRTONYX Gould. 
Massena Partridge. with the head singularly striped with black and 
white; the upper parts variegated with black, white and tawny, and with 
paired black spots on the wings; below - 
velvety black, purplish-chestnut along 
the middle line, and with numerous 
sharp circular white spots; 9-10 long; 
wing 6; tail 24; tarsus 1}. 9 smaller, 
and entirely different in color, but 
easily recognized by the peculiar generic 
characters; tail very short, soft, almost 
hidden by its coverts; wing coverts 
and inner quills highly developed ;_ toes 
short; claws very large; head with a 
short, full, soft, occipital crest. Texas, Fic. 153. Massena Partridge. 
New Mexico, Arizona and southward. N. at least to 35°. Cass., Ill. 21, 
Sereemnp,, 6475 COOP., 598. - . « + + + + + + + + MASSENA. 
Oss. The Welcome Partridge, Zupsychortyx cristatus (Ortyx neorenus AvD., Vv, 
71, pl. 292) and several other species, have been admitted to our fauna upon 
unsatisfactory evidence, or erroneous reports. Some of them, however, may yet be 
found over our Mexican border. 
Order GRALLATORES. Wading Birds. 
A character of nearly unexceptional applicability is nakedness of the leg above 
the heel, or tibio-tarsal joint (suffrago). The bare space is generally of consider- 
able length, but in several genera the ends of the feathers reach to the joint, while 
in others the tibize are completely feathered. The legs are usually long; as a rule 
the neck is lengthened pari passu; and the length of the bill is also in some 
measure correspondent. In its current acceptation, the order does not appear suscep- 
tible of further, or of any very exact, definition. Besides its several leading and 
characteristic groups, it contains a number of singular outlying forms, mostly 
represented each by a single genus, the location of which has not been satisfactorily 
determined. Present indications are, however, that all the grallatorial birds will 
fall in one or another of three groups, to be conventionally designated as sub- 
orders. All of these occur in this country; their nature may be approximately 
indicated, as follows : — 
I. LIMICOLZ. Shore-birds. Commonly known as the great ‘‘ plover-snipe 
group,” from the circumstance that the pluvialine and scolopacine birds form the 
bulk of the division. The species average of small size, with rounded or depressed 
(never extremely compressed) body, and live in open places on the ground, usually 
by the water’s edge. With rare exceptions, the head is completely feathered; the 
general pterylosis is of a nearly uniform pattern. The osteological characters are 
shared to some extent by certain swimming birds, as gulls and auks; the palate is 
schizognathous ; the carotids are double; the syringeal muscles, not more than one 
pair. The physiological nature is precocial; the eggs, averaging four, as a rule 
are laid on the ground in a rude nest or bare depression ; the young hatch clothed 
