HEMIPODIUS nivosus, 

 White-spotted Turnix. 



Generic Character. 



Rostrum mediocre, gracile, rectum, valde compressum culmine levato, 

 ad apicem sub-incurvo. Nares laterales, lineares, sulcata:, mem- 

 brand convexd corned tix tectce, aperturd Jissd, elongatd. Pedes 

 longi, digitis tribus anticis divisis. Halluce caret. Cauda bre- 

 vissima tectricibus obtecta. Aloe mediocres. 



Bill moderate, slender, straight, much compressed, culmen elevated, 

 towards the tip slightly incurved. Nostrils lateral, linear, sul- 

 cated, partially covered by a convex horny membrane, the 

 aperture narrow and elongated ; legs long, with three toes 

 before, divided at their base. Hind toe none. Tail very short, 

 concealed by the covers. Wings moderate. 



Generic Type. Perdix nigricollis. Lath. 



Specific Character. 



H. supra ferrugineo varius,; tnento albescente ; jugulo pectoreque paU 

 lidk ferrugineis, maculis albis, nitidis, ornatis ; corpore albo ; 

 uropygio caudoeque tectricibus superioribus nifis, immaculatis. 



Above varied with ferruginous ; chin whitish ; throat and breast 

 pale ferruginous, with white shining spots ; body white ; rump 

 and upper tail-covers rufous, unspotted. 



H. nivosus. Swainson, in Tilloch's Phil. Magazine, vol. 60. p. 353. 



I HAVE represented this delicate little bird of its natural 

 size ; which is so small, as scarcely to equal that of a Lark. 

 The Turnix inhabits the sandy deserts of Africa and India, 

 and seems to form a race of pigmy Bustards, all the species 

 yet discovered (fourteen in number) being very diminutive. 

 Little is known of their habits in a state of nature, further 

 than that they migrate, and fly with great rapidity. The 

 specific character will distinguish H. 7iivosus as a species ; 

 and I have already given a more detailed description of it 

 in the Journal above quoted. Mr. Leadbeater received it 

 from Senegal. 



PI. 163. 



