448 TIXA^nD^. 



may be quite vestigial ; and the apteria are very large. In describing the pterylo- 

 graphy of the Tinamous, the above-named author makes special mention of some 

 curious papillae on the jaus of the nestlings, suggesting vestiges of teeth. 



The eggs of Tinamous are very remarkable, having a highly polished appearance. 

 Their colour varies in different genera, being blue, green, purplish, or clay-colour. 



Fam. TINAMIDiE. 



There is but one family of Crypturi, and its characters are therefore the same as 

 those of the order. 



Count Salvador!, who has lately monographed the Tinamidae in the twenty-seventh 

 volume of the ' Catalogue of Birds,' admits nine distinct genera. He divides them into 

 two subfamilies, one of which, the Tinamotidinse, is confined to South America. 



Subfam. TINAMIXJ^. 



The seven genera composing this subfamily have a hind toe, and they are divided 

 into two sections, distinguished by the nature of the tail-feathers. The first section 

 only concerns our present work, but all three of the genera — Tinamtis, Nothocercus, 

 and Crypturus — are found in Central America. 



TINAMUS. 

 Ttnamus, Latham, Ind. Om. ii. p. 633 (1790) ; Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 496 (1895). 



The tail-feathers in the genus Tinamus are ten in number, and they are all completely 

 hidden by the upper tail-coverts. The hinder aspect of the tarsus is rugose, the scales 

 being reticulated and having roughened edges. The anterior aspect is scutellate. 



Three species are found within our limits, but it must be admitted that the characters 

 for their distinction are not too strongly pronounced. It seems to us that the changes 

 of plumage through which these birds pass from the young to the adult stage are as 

 yet imperfectly understood, and that many of the peculiarities on which the species 

 have been founded may ultimately prove to be due to age or season alone. The 

 Tinamous, moreover, appear to vary in depth of colour according to their habitat. 



1. Tinamns robustus. 



Ttnamus major (nee Gm.), Moore, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 63 ' ; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 226 *. 

 Ttnamus robustus, Scl. P. Z. S. 1860, p. 253 ' ; Salv. Ibis, 1861, p. 355 * ; 1866, p. 204 ' j Sumicbr. 



La Xat. V. p. 229 ' ; Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 500'; Gates, Cat. Eggs Brit. 



Mus. i. p. 10, t. 1. fig. 1 '. 

 Tfachypelmus rohustus, Heine & Reichen. Nomencl. Mus. Hein. p. 303 '. 



OliTascenti-bmnneus vix lilaceo admnbratns, plumis singulis sparsim maculis duplicibus nigris fasdatim 



