344 AVES. 
nostrils pierced 1 in a broad membranous space at the base of the 
beak and covered by a cartilaginous scale; a heavy carriage, 
short wings, and the bony sternum diminished by two emargina- 
tions, so wide and deep that they occupy nearly the whole 
sides, its crest being truncated obliquely forwards, so that the 
sharp point of the fourchette is only joined to it by a liga- 
ment, circumstances which, by greatly impairing the strength 
of the pectoral muscles, render it difficult for them to fly. 
Their tail generally consists of fourteen quills, and sometimes 
of eighteen. » The lower larynx is very simple, and conse- 
quently there is none of them that sings agreeably. They 
have an extremely large crop, and a very vigorous gizzard. 
With the exception of the Hocco, they all lay 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 com- 
monly are very numerous, and most usually able to run as 
soon as they have left the shell. 
This order is chiefly eolesed of one very natural family, 
remarkable for having furnished us with most of our domestic 
poultry, and abundance of excellent game; one in which the 
anterior toes are united at base by a short membrane, and in- 
dented along the edges, and which it is impossible to divide 
into genera, except by having recourse to characters of but 
little importance, drawn from some of the appendages of the 
head. In order, however, to avoid an excessive multipliea- 
tion of beings, we will associate certain genera with thei 
whose feet are deficient in that membrane, some of which, the 
Pigeons, connect the Gallinacee with the Passerine, while 
the others, the Hoazins, Buff., somewhat apPRemanste to the 
Touracos. 
Auector, Merr.(1) 
The Hoccos are large Gallinacee of America, which resemble 
Turkeys, with a broad, rounded tail, formed of large and stiff quills. 
% 
(1) Alector is the Greek name of the Cock. ° 
