387 
TURNIX. TURNIX. 
Generic Character. 
Rostrum mediocre, gracilius, 
rectum, compressum, acu- 
tum ; versus apicem incur- 
vum. 
Xarcslateralesjlineares, mem- 
brana semiclausag, ad max- 
ill® medium usque por- 
rect®. 
Pedes tridactyli, digitis fissis, 
halluce nuUo. 
Cauda brevis, plumis uro- 
pygii obtecta. 
Alee breves. 
Beak middle sized, slender, 
straight, compressed, acute; 
incurved towards the tip. 
Nostrils lateral, linear, half 
closed by a membrane por- 
rected towards and beyond 
the middle of the beak. 
Feet three-toed ; toes cleft ; 
none behind. 
Tail short, covered by the 
feathers of the rump. 
Wings short. 
Turnix. Bonnathere, 
Ortygis. Illiger. 
Hemipodius. Rienvoardt, Temminclc. 
Ortygodes. Vieillot. 
Perdix. Bath. 
Tetrad. Gmel. 
CoTURNix. Briss. 
Tridactylus. Lacepede. 
Th IS genus comprises most of the smallest of 
the gallinaceous birds : they are polygamous, and 
reside in sandy deserts among the herbs of those 
