454 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



a number of allied forms. Its characters are therefore those 

 of the order itself, but it is especially distinguished from the 

 Columbacei by being less fully adapted for flight. The body is 



B 



^s^r^ 



A 



Fig. 176. Rasores. A, Foot of Fowl (Callus Bankivd) ; B, Head of Guinea-fowl. 



much heavier comparatively speaking, the legs and feet are 

 stronger, and the wings shorter and less powerful. On the 

 whole, therefore, these birds are worse fliers than the Columbacei, 

 and are better adapted for living upon the ground. The back 

 of the tarsus, too, is usually furnished in the males with a 

 spur (calcar], which is used as an offensive weapon, and has 

 sometimes been looked upon as a rudimentary toe. Lastly, 

 the Gattinacei are all polygamous, and the males are usually 

 much more brilliantly coloured than the females, this being an 

 adaptive modification of the plumage to meet this peculiarity 

 in their mode of life. 



The two most important families of the Gattinacei are 

 the Tetraonida and the Phasianidce. 



The Tetraonidce, or Grouse family, comprises the Capercailzie 

 (Tetrao urogallus), the Blackcock (Tetrao tetrix], the common 

 or Red Grouse (Lagopus Scoticus), the Ptarmigan (Lagopus 

 -vulgaris), the Partridges (Perdix), the Quails (Coturnix), and 

 many other allied forms. 



The Phasianidcz or Pheasant family, comprises the Turkeys 

 and Guinea-fowl (Meleagrina), the common Pheasant (Phasi- 

 anus Colchicus), the Golden and Silver Pheasants, the common 

 Fowl (Gallus domesticus), and the Pea-fowl (Pavonince). None 

 of these birds all of which can be domesticated, and most of 

 which are of great value to man are natives of this country, 

 though they will all breed readily, and thrive even in confine- 

 ment. The domestic Turkey (Meleagris gallopavd) is originally 

 a native of North America, where it still occurs in a wild con- 

 dition, having been brought to Europe about the beginning of 

 the sixteenth century. The Guinea-fowl (Numida Meleagris} is 

 originally an African bird. The common Pheasant (Phasianus 

 Colchicus), though now regarded as an indigenous bird, truly 



