GRALLATOEES, WADING BIRDS. GEN. 188. 



239 



2f 



188. Genus CYRTONYX Gould. 



Massena Partridge. $ with the head shigiilarly striped witla Ijlack and 

 white; the upper parts variegated with hlacli, white and tawny, and with 

 paired black spots on the wings ; below 

 velvety black, pnrplish-chestnut along 

 the middle line, and with numerous 

 sharp circular white spots ; 9-10 long ; 

 wing 6 ; tail 2J ; tarsus I4-. 9 smaller, 

 and entirely different in color, but 

 easily recognized by the peculiar generic 

 characters ; tail very short, soft, almost 

 hidden by its coverts ; wing coverts 

 and inner quills highly developed ; toes 

 short ; claws very large ; head with a 

 short, full, soft, occipital crest. Texas, 

 New Mexico, Arizona and southward. 

 pi. 4: Bd.,647; Coop., 558 massena. 



Obs. The Welcome Partridge, Eup-vjcliortyx cristatus (Oiii/x neoxenus Add., v, 

 71, pi. 292) and several other species, have been admitted to our fauna upon 

 unsatisfactory evidence, or erroueous reports. Some of them, however, may yet be 

 found over our Mexican border. 



N. 



Yw. iryd. Massena rartnd.'^c. 



at least to 35°. Cass., III. 21, 



Order GEALLATOEES. Y/ading Birds. 



A character of nearly unexceptional applicability is nakedness of the leg above 

 the heel, or tibio-tarsal joint (suffrago). The bare space is generally of consider- 

 able length, but in several genera the ends of the feathers reach to the joint, while 

 in others the tibisB are completely featliered. The legs are usually long ; as a rule 

 the neck is lengthened 2')''-'-'''i l^issu ; and the length of the bill is also in some 

 measure correspoutleut. In its current acceptation, the order does not appear suscep- 

 tible of further, or of anj' very exact, definition. Besides its several leading and 

 characteristic groups, it contains a number of singular outlying forms, mostly 

 represented each by a single genus, the location of which has not been satisfactorily 

 determined. Present indications are, however, that all the grallatorial birds will 

 fall in oire or another of three groups, to be conventionally designated as sub- 

 orders. All of these occur in this country ; their nature maj- be approximately 

 indicated, as follows : — 



I. LIMICOLiE. Shore-hirds. Commonly Ijuown as the great "plover-snipe 

 group," from the circumstance that the pluvialine and scolopacine birds form the 

 bulk of the division. The species average of small size, with rounded or depressed 

 (never extremely compressed) body, and live in open places on the ground, usually 

 bj^ the water's edge. With rare exceptions, the head is completely feathered ; the 

 general pterylosis is of a nearl}' uniform pattern. The osteological characters are 

 shared to some extent bj' certain swimming birds, as gulls and auks ; the palate is 

 schizognathons ; the carotids are double ; the s^'ringeal muscles, not more than one 

 pair. The physiological nature is priiecocial ; the eggs, averaging four, as a rule 

 are laid on the ground in a rude nest or bare depression ; the young hatch clothed 



