EUPSTCHOETTX. 297 



3. Eupsychortyx nigrogularis. 



Ortyx nigrogularis, Gould, P. Z. S. 1842, p. 181'; Monogr. Odontoph. t. 4"; Gray, Gen. Birds, 

 iii. p. 514, t. 132'; Moore, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 63*; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 225"; Lawr. 

 Ann. Lye. N. York, ix. p. 209°; Boucard, P. Z. S. 1883, p. 461 '. 



Colinus nigrogularis, Stone, Pr. Ac. Philad. 1890, p. 204'; Nelson, Auk, xv. p. 122°. 



Eupsychortyx nigrogularis, Grant, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 412"; Handb. Game-Birds, ii. 

 p. 133 ". 



Colinus nigrogularis segoviensis, Ridgw. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. x. p. 593". 



E. leylandi similis et gutture nigro, sed interscapulio et coUo postico et lateral! castaneis albo oceUatis ; pileo 

 brunneo, fascia laterali utrinque alba ; fascia altera superciliari nigra ; regione parotica et suboeulari albis ; 

 gutture imo et pectore toto albis, plumis nigro marginatis quasi squamatis ; corporis lateribus castaneis, 

 plumis late niedialiter albis. Long, tota circa 7"8, alae 4-3, caudse 2-2, culm. 0-6, tarsi 1-15. 



2 E. leylandi $ similis, sed pileo brunneo nigro striolato, gutture imo et prsepectore albo oeellatis, plumis 

 nigro marginatis, corpore reliquo subtus nigro fasciato distinguendus. Long, tota circa 7'o, alse 4'0. 

 (Descr. maris et feminae ex Buctzotz, Yucatan. Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. Mexico, Yucatan [I)yson^, Cabot^), Chable, Tizimin, Buctzotz, and Peto 

 {Gaumer"^ i°), Merida [Schott^ ^^), Izamal {Stone & Baker ^); British Honduras, 

 Belize (Leyland^^) ; Honduras {Dyson^) ; Nicaragua, Segovia River [Townsend i^). 



E. nigrogularis has a black throat like E. leylandi, but is easily recognized by the 

 colour of the under surface, vphich is for the most part white, the feathers being 

 margined with black, imparting a scaled, rather than an ocellated, appearance to the 

 bird. The chestnut mantle, with the pear-shaped white centres to the feathers, and 

 the white ear-coverts are also distinguishing characteristics of this species. The 

 females of the two birds are very similar, both having ochraceous throats and eye- 

 brows, but the hen of E. nigrogularis is readily distinguished by the absence of black 

 streaks on the throat, and by its ocellated lower throat and fore-neck, with none of 

 the vinaceous-brown shade which is apparent in E. leylandi. 



Dr. Cabot ^, who observed the species in Yucatan, gives an account of its habits. 

 He states that its call so precisely resembles that of Ortyx virginianus that by imitating 

 the call of the latter species a covey previously scattered will respond and may be 

 easily found. The mode of roosting of the two birds is also similar, both occasionally 

 perching on trees. The Maya or Indian name for E. nigrogularis is " Bech," the " e " 

 being pronounced with a guttural sound. This is undoubtedly the bird offered by the 

 natives as sacrifices to their idols, and mentioned in the works relating to the discovery 

 and conquest of Yucatan 2. According to Gaumer ^ it is sometimes found in dense 

 forest, but more frequently in maize-fields. Dyson 2 says that the species is common 

 in Yucatan and on the pine-ridges of Honduras. 



4, Eupsycliortyx hypoleucus. 



Eupsychortyx hypoleucus, Gould, P. Z. S. 1860, p. 62 ^ Grant, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 413' ; 



Handb. Game-Birds, ii. p. 134'. 

 Eupsychortyx leucopogon, Salv. & Sol. (nee Less.), Ibis, 1860, p. 277*. 



BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Aves, Vol. HI., February 1903. 38 



