234 VERTEBRATES: BIRDS. 



headed Pigeon, 5. cyanocephala, Bonap., of Key West and 

 the West Indies, which much resembles the quails. 



GOURID^E, OR GOURA FAMILY. This Family com- 

 prises Columbae of large size, with the head conspicuously 

 crested. They belong to the Indian Archipelago. 



The Genus Goura comprises the Crown Pigeon, G. coro- 

 nata, Temm., which is about the size of a turkey, and the 

 head has a vertical crest of long, slender feathers. 



The Sub-Order of Gallinae comprises the true Rasores, 

 which have the bill short, stout, and the basal portion 

 hard, and generally covered by feathers, and not by soft 

 skin ; the legs lengthened, the hind toe in most cases 

 elevated, the toes connected at the base by a membrane. 

 The young are able to run about as soon as hatched. 

 There are five families, Penelopidae or Curassow Fam- 

 ily, Megapodidae or Mound-Bird Family, Phasianidae or 

 Pheasant Family, Tetraonidae or Grouse Family, and Per- 

 dicrdae or Quail Family. 



PENELOPIDAE, OR CURASSOW FAMILY. This Family 

 comprises birds peculiar to Central and South America. 

 They are mainly of large size, about as large as turkeys, 

 and move in flocks, and build their nests among and 

 often upon the trees. They are known under the names 

 of Curassows, Hoccos, and Guans. 



The Genus Ortalida is represented by the Chiacalacca, 

 Ortalida McCalli, Baird, of New Mexico, which is twenty- 

 three and a half inches long, the wing eight and a half 

 inches ; above dark greenish-olive, beneath brownish 

 yellow, head and upper part of the neck plumbeous, tail- 

 feathers lustrous green, and all except the middle one 

 tipped with white. 



MEGAPODID.E, OR MOUND-BIRD FAMILY. This Fam- 

 ily comprises Indian and Australian birds which are cele- 

 brated for building large mounds of vegetation and sand, 

 in which they deposit their eggs. 



