134 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 
Habits.—In Yucatan the Black-throated Quail was always 
seen by Mr. G. F’. Gaumer in flocks or pairs, sometimes in the 
darkest forests, but more usually in corn-fields. Unfortunately, 
he tells us nothing further respecting its habits, merely remark- 
ing that the flesh is delicious. According to Dyson, it frequents 
the pine ridges, and is very common both in Honduras and 
Yucatan, moving about in coveys. From Dr. Samuel Cabot’s 
notes we take the following, which give a more detailed account: 
—‘JIn reading works relating to the discovery and conquest 
of Yucatan by the Spaniards, we see mention made of the 
sacrifices of Quails offered by the natives to their idols ; some- 
times the blood only was offered, and sometimes the whole 
body. The bird there alluded to is undoubtedly the Ortyx 
nigrogularis, as this is the only bird called ‘Codorniz’ or ‘Quail’ 
by the Spanish residents of the country. The Ortyx nigro- 
gularis in its note and habits is precisely similar to the O. 
virginianus. They whistle the ‘Bob-White’ in spring; their 
covey-call in the autumn and winter is so precisely the same 
that they readily answered when I whistled the call of our 
Quail; and if I had previously scattered the covey, I could 
always find them in this way. ‘They feed on similar food, and 
roost in the same way; they also sometimes alight on trees, 
like our Quail. . . . The Maya or Indian name of this bird 
is Béch, the e pronounced with a guttural sound.” 
VII. THE WHITE-BREASTED CRESTED QUAIL. EUPSYCHORTYX 
HYPOLEUCUS. 
Eupsychortyx hypoleucus, Gould, P. Z. S. 1860, p. 62 ; Ogilvie- 
Grant./Cat. -B. Brith Muss xaijpecans (seg) 
Adult Male—Easily distinguished from all the other species of 
this genus by having the eyebrow-stripes, chin, throat, and 
under-parts pure zAzte. ‘Total length, 7°8 inches ; wing, 4°1 ; 
tail, 2°5 ; tarsus, 1°1 ; middle toeand claw, 1°3. 
Adult Female.—Closely resembles the female of Z. cvstatus, 
but the feathers of the crest are darker. 
