GALLINACE. 307 
Musopuaaa, Isert. 
Or the Plantain-eaters, so called, because their principal food is the fruit 
of the banana. They are characterised by the base of the bill forming a 
disk, which partly covers the forehead. The species known is 
Mz, violacea, Vieill. Galer. 47; Towraco violet, Vaill., Promer., 
&c., pl. 18. Circumference of the eyes naked and red; violet- 
coloured plumage; occiput and primary quills of the wings crimson; 
a white line passes below the naked space round the eye. Inhabits 
Guinea and Senegal. 
ORDER IV. 
_ 
GALLINACEA.—Gatuinz (a), Lin. 
Tuese birds are so called from their affinity with the Domestic Cock, 
and, like it, generally have the upper mandible arched, the nostrils pierced 
in a broad membranous space at the base of the bill, and covered by a car- 
tilaginous scale; the heavy carriage, short wings, and the bony sternum 
diminished by two emarginations, so wide and deep, that they occupy 
nearly the whole of its sides, its crest being truncated obliquely forwards, 
so that the sharp point of the fourchette is only joined to it by a liga- 
ment,—these various circumstances, by greatly impairing the strength of 
the pectoral muscles, render it difficult for them to fly. Their tail gene- 
rally consists of fourteen quills, and sometimes of eighteen. The lower 
larynx is very simple, and consequently there are none of them that sing 
agreeably. They have an extremely large crop, and a very vigorous giz- 
zard. With the exception of the Hocco, they all lay and hatch their 
eggs on the ground, on a few carelessly arranged blades of straw or grass. 
Each male usually has several females, and takes no sort of trouble 
either with the nest or the young ones, which, commonly, are very nu- 
merous, and most usually able to run as soon as they have left the shell. 
This order is chiefly composed of one very natural family, remarkable 
for having furnished us with most of our domestic poultry, and abundance 
of excellent game; in it the anterior toes are united at their base by a 
short membrane, and indented along the edges: these it is impossible to 
divide into genera, except by means of very unimportant characters, 
Temm., Col. 23, or Opethus erythrolophus, Vieill. Galer. 49;—the Touraco brun 
(Phasianus africanus, Lath.) Vaill. 20, or Musophage varié, Vieill. Galer. 48. 
BaS° (a) Gallus, the cock.—Ence. Ep. 
cc 2 
