TETRAONIM. 



posed of weak yielding feathers clustered together, and concealed by the 

 feathers of the back. Wings moderate, the first quill-feather the longest. 

 Qould. 



THE term Hemipodius, signifying Half-foot, was applied 

 generically by M. Temminck in 1815 to several species of 

 quail-like birds, but with three toes only, which, from their 

 very diminutive size, were considered the pigmies among 

 the gallinaceous birds. They live on sterile sandy plains 

 or on the confines of great deserts : they run with great 

 speed, seldom taking wing ; ready to hide themselves 

 at the slightest appearance of danger, and are found with 

 difficulty among the herbage under which they conceal 

 themselves. But one species is known in Europe, and of 

 that one, parts of its history are still involved in some 

 obscurity. It is found in the southern countries of Europe 

 from Spain to Italy, and it is also found in North Africa, 

 from Barbary to Tripoli. Dr. Latham, in a note, quoting 

 Pennant, says, " Most likely this is the same bird with 

 the Three-toed Quail of Shaw, which he says is a bird 

 of passage, and is caught by running it down ; for having 

 been sprung once or twice, it becomes so fatigued as to 

 be overtaken and knocked down with a stick." Travels in 

 Barbary, p. 300. M. Temminck considers that it does 

 not migrate because it is found in Sicily in November and 

 December, yet its pointed wings indicate considerable 

 powers of flight. It is found in Europe, more particularly 

 in various parts of Spain, from Gibraltar to Arragon : its 

 food consists of seeds, grain, and insects ; it is considered 

 to be polygamous, but its habits in reference to modification 

 are imperfectly known. Dr. Thienemann has figured the 

 egg in his general work, plate viii. fig. 4. It weighs from 

 eight to nine grains, very like the egg of our Common 

 Quail in length and colour, but is not so wide. 



The first occurrence of a pair of the Andalusian Hemi- 



