246 GALLING. TINAMID^E. 



their whole appearance reminds the observer of a 

 Bustard in miniature. They are easily caught by 

 a man on horseback, as they exhibit little sagacity 

 in avoiding danger. " As for their flesh," says 

 Mr. Swainson, " we have often tasted it, and con- 

 sider it both in whiteness and flavour, infinitely 

 above that of the Partridge or Pheasant. We 

 believe these birds never perch, as some suppose, 

 but that they live entirely among herbage, princi- 

 pally in the more open tracts of the interior." 



There is, however, one genus found in the sandy 

 regions of the Old World, and which has, at least 

 on one occasion, visited this country. We select 

 this as an illustration of the Family. 



GENUS TUENIX. (BONN.) 



The characters of this genus, as given by Mr. 

 Gould in his magnificent work, " The Birds of 

 Europe," are these : The beak moderate, slender, 

 very compressed ; the culmen elevated, and curved 

 towards the point. Nostrils lateral, linear, longi- 

 tudinally cleft, partly closed by a membrane. 

 Tarsus rather long. Toes three before, entirely 

 divided ; no posterior toe. Tail composed of weak 

 yielding feathers clustered together, and concealed 

 by the feathers of the back. Wings moderate, 

 the first quill-feather the longest. 



The species composing this genus principally 

 inhabit the countries which surround the Indian 

 Ocean, from the Cape of Good Hope to Australia : 

 they run among grass, where also they make their 

 nests ; but they fly with ease and rapidity. The 

 males are considerably smaller than the females. 



The Andalusian Hemipode (Turnix tachydro- 



