1920 J Todd, The Genus Eupsychortyx. 193 



understanding Eupsychortyx can only be recognized by restricting 

 it to the forms occurring from Panama southward, in which the 

 crest (when fully developed) is longer than the head and slightly 

 recurved at the tip. The relative length of the first primary, 

 upon which Mr. Ogilvie-Grant lays so much stress, unfortunately 

 does not correspond with the character of the crest. As a matter 

 of fact Ortyx leylandi Moore, Ortyx nigrogularis Gould, and Eup- 

 sychortyx hypoleucus* Gould agree much better with the type of 

 Colinus (C. virginianus) than with Eupsychortyx as here restricted, 

 all three having the short, decumbent crest of the former. 



The close relationship existing among the various forms of this 

 group is indicated by the general agreement in their style of colora- 

 tion, and in particular by the close resemblance of the females, 

 which are sometimes difficult to discriminate. Three specific 

 types, depending for their characters on the color of the throat, 

 and superciliary and malar stripes, and the spotted condition of 

 the breast, can be discriminated. The distribution of these three 

 types seems as a rule to be sharply defined by mountain ranges, 

 which they appear unable to pass, being birds of the Tropical 

 or Subtropical Zone. Thus, E. sonnini enjoys an extensive range 

 in Guiana and Venezuela, but is abruptly stopped by the Andean 

 chain in Venezuela and Colombia. In the region around the Lake 

 of Maracaibo, in the pocket between the Andes of Merida and 

 the Eastern Andes of Colombia, we find the second type, E. cris- 

 tatus. In the valleys of the Andean region, and extending into 

 the low country as far even as western Panama, a third type, 

 E. leucopogon, occurs. All three of these types are subject to 

 more or less geographic variation, while individual variation is 

 excessive. A most interesting problem is presented in the case 

 of E. leucopogon and E. cristatus, the respective ranges of which 

 appear to approximate each other very closely, possibly over- 

 lapping. The possibility that E. cristatus and E. sonnini may 

 also meet and intergrade in some restricted area in Venezuela is 

 likewise to be considered. The phylogeny of the group will be 

 more fully discussed, we hope, by the eminent authority to whom 

 we are looking for an exhaustive study of the genus Colinus. 



ir The only doubt in this case is with regard to this form, of which I have been 

 able to examine but one male specimen. 



