2212 THE GAME BIRDS AND RAILS 



here. Many ornithologists regard it, indeed, as representing a distinct order, but 

 as the editor does not see the advantage of unnecessarily multiplying ordinal terms, 

 it is alluded to here merely as forming a family. On examining the skeleton of this 

 bird, which has many striking peculiarities, the observer will be struck by the form 

 of the breastbone, with its nearly-parallel lateral edges and feebly -developed keel, of 

 which the anterior part is cut away, and the posterior portion broad and flattened 

 out. On this flattened surface the greater part of the weight of the body is sup- 

 ported when the bird is at rest. Another striking feature is the shoulder girdle, 

 the bones of which are completely welded to one another as well as to the breast- 

 bone. The crop is enormous, and occupies the upper portion of the chest, being 

 placed in a deep cavity in the pectoral muscles. The nest of these birds, which is 

 built of sticks and placed in bushes near the water's edge, contains two or three, 

 and sometimes as many as five oval-shaped eggs of a white color, doubly spotted with 

 rufous and purple, and remarkably rail-like in character. Unusual interest attaches 

 to the young, which are hatched naked, with the thumb and index finger provided 

 with well-developed claws, enabling them to climb about among the branches soon 

 after they are hatched; the bill, as well as the legs and wings, being used for hold- 

 ing on to the twigs. Moreover, when compelled, they are able to swim and dive 

 with equal facility. The hoatzin spends its existence among the branches, consum- 

 ing enormous quantities of leaves, and in spite of its large wings, possesses only the 

 most limited powers of flight. 



THE BUSTARD QUAILS OR HEMTPODES 

 Family 



The little bustard quails, usually included among the game birds, and associated 

 with the quails, are, however, so extremely distinct that they are frequently regarded 

 as forming an order equal in importance though not in numbers to the Gallinse. 

 While in some respects they approach both the pigeons and game birds, their affinities 

 with the rails are undoubted, and we prefer, therefore, to leave their serial position 

 open. Like the sand grouse and rails, they lay double-spotted eggs, quite different 

 from those laid by any of the true game birds; but the young are similarly covered 

 with down, and able to run soon after they are hatched. Among the most singular 

 features of this group it may be noticed that the females are always larger and more 

 brightly colored than the males; while the latter undertake all the cares of incubat- 

 ing the eggs and tending the young. In the typical genus ( Turnix] , which con- 

 tains all the forms but one, the first toe is entirely absent, but in the Australian 

 collared hemipode (Pedionomus torquatus) a small first toe is present. The twenty- 

 one members of the typical genus are distributed over Africa, Madagascar, and 

 Arabia, and also range through the Indo-Malayan countries to Australia; while one 

 species, the Andalusian hemipode ( T. sylvatica) , inhabits South Europe. No less than 

 four of these species are found in India, and as their habits have been more studied 

 there than elsewhere, we may take the Indian bustard quail ( T. taigur) as typical 



