MEGAPODES AND BRUSH-TURKEYS. 



437 



Calif ornian quail (Lopkortyx californicus), often seen in aviaries, and at once 

 distinguished by its conspicuous crest of black club-shaped feathers. In the cock 

 the forehead is buff, the rest of the head and the throat black, edged with a white 

 band ; the neck, mantle, and chest being grey, and having each feather margined 

 with black and spotted with white ; while the rest of the upper-parts are greyish 

 olive-brown, and the under-parts buff, barred with black and shading into 

 chestnut. The female has the crest shorter and browner, and the feathers of the 

 head and neck are mostly dirty white, with dark middles. This bird, which 



inhabits the extreme western 

 States, from Washington to 

 California, ranging inland to 

 Nevada, has been introduced 

 into various parts of the 

 world. A rather peculiar form 

 is the South Mexican barred 

 quail (Philortyx fasciatus) 

 which has the greater part of 

 both upper and under-parts 

 barred. Central and Northern 

 South America are the home 

 of the seven species of crested 

 quails (Eupsychortyx), differ- 

 ing from all those mentioned 

 in having the tail shorter, as 

 well as in their smaller size. 

 Closely allied, but lacking the 



crest, is the genus Ortyx, including such well-known forms as the Virginian quail 

 (0. virginianus), or " Bob- white," as it is called in the States, and several other 

 species, with the greater portion of the under-parts uniform chestnut or brick- 

 red, and inhabiting the South-Western States and Mexico. Three striking and 

 peculiarly marked species of quail constitute Cyrtonyx, inhabiting the south- 

 western United States, Mexico, and Central America ; the males being distinguished 

 by their full crest, black-and-white patterned head, and eyed under-parts. 



BLACK-THROATED CRESTED QUAIL. 



Megapodes. 



MEGAPODES AND BRUSH-TURKEYS. 



Family MEGAPODIID^. 



We now come to the second section of the order, containing 

 two families characterised by having the first toe on the same 

 level as the others. The members of the present family are chiefly remarkable 

 on account of their nesting-habits, their eggs being deposited in the sand or in a 

 mound raised by one or more pairs of birds, and incubated by the heat caused 

 by the fermentation of the decaying vegetable matter and the warmth of the sun. 

 The young are hatched fully feathered, and able to fly almost from birth. The 

 legs and feet of all these birds are remarkably strong and stout, and thus well 



