RASORES. 489 



rudimentary toe.* Lastly, the GaUinacei are mostly polygam- 

 ous, and the males are usually much more brilliantly coloured 

 than the females, this being an adaptive modification of the 

 plumage to meet this peculiarity in their mode of life.t 



The following are the most important families of the Gai- 

 linacei : — 



The TetraonidcB, or Grouse family, comprises the various 

 species of Grouse (Tetrao), the. Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa), the 

 Cock ot the V\'XLTL%{^Centrocercus), and the Ptarmigans {L^gopus). 



The Perdicida, or Partridge family, comprises the Par- 

 tridges {Perdix), the Francolins {Francolintis), the Quails {Co- 

 tiirnix), the Maryland Quail (Ortyx), the Tufted Quails 

 (Lophortyx), &c. 



The PhasianidcR or Pheasant family, comprises the Turkeys 

 and Guinea-fowl {Alekagrina), the common Pheasant (Phasi- 

 anus Cokhkus), the Golden and Silver Pheasants, the common 

 Fowl {Gallus domesticus), and the Pea-fowl (Pawnincz). None 

 of these birds — all of which can be domesticated, and most of 

 which are of great value to man — are natives of this country, 

 though they will all breed readily, and thrive even in confine- 

 ment. The domestic Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is originally 

 a native of North America, where it still occurs in a wild con- 

 dition, having been brought to Europe about the beginning of 

 the sixteenth century. The Guinea-fowl {Numida Meleagris) is 

 originally an African bird. The common Pheasant (Phasianus 

 Colchicus), though now regarded as an indigenous bird, truly 

 belongs to Asia, and it is asserted that it was really brought to 

 Europe from Colchis by the Greeks ; hence its specific name. 

 The common Fowl is certainly not a native of Europe, and it is 

 almost as certainly a native of Asia or of some of the Asiatic 

 islands ; but its exact original habitat is uncertain, as is the 

 species from which the domestic breeds are descended (com- 

 monly said to be the Gallus Bankiva of Java). The introduc- 

 tion of the Fowl into Europe is lost in the mists of antiquity, 

 and it is wholly unknov^n whence the original stock may have 

 been brought. The Pea-fowl (Pavo) are really natives of 

 Thibet and Hindostan, and were originally brought to Greece 

 by Alexander the Great. They were formerly much esteemed 

 as food, but are now regarded merely from an ornamental 

 point of view. 



* In some cases (as in the Java Peacock) the female possesses spurs as 

 well as the male ; and sometimes (as in Polyplectron) there are two or more 

 spurs on each leg of the male. 



+ The Guinea-fowl, Red Grouse, Ptarmigan, and Partridge are mono- 

 gamous, in a state of nature at any rate. 



