ORTYX MACROURA, (nobis). 

 Long-tailed Ortyx. 



PLATE XLXIX. 



O. fronte gulaque nigris, supra pallide brunnea, maculis fasciisque albescentibus, 

 rostro pedibusque rubris, cauda elongata. 



VV e have figured this species as new and interesting, belonging to a ge- 

 nus hitherto rather limited, as not possessing forms sufficiently characte- 

 ristic, and particularly as showing that form of the genus where we find 

 the feathers of the tail much elongated, and broad, as in many of the larger 

 gallinaceous birds, but with every other character developed in the highest 

 degree. The specimen we met with at the sale of Mr Bullock's Mexi- 

 can curiosities : it appeared to be the only one in the collection, and we 

 have not met with the same species since. 



The length is thirteen inches. The bill and legs are bright orange-red, 

 and formed as in the most typical species. The feathers on the crown of 

 the head, the throat and cheeks, are black ; those on the head lengthened 

 into a crest, and individually tipped with reddish-brown. A fine of red- 

 dish-white extends above the eyes and auriculars, and loses itself on the 

 sides of the neck. Another of the same colour runs under the eyes upon 

 the auriculars. The back, sides of the neck, and upper parts of the breast, 

 are deep reddish-brown, the feathers edged and dentated with greyish-white 

 and bluish-grey : the upper part of the neck is bluish-grey, with the centre 

 of each feather reddish-brown ; the middle of the belly and vent silvery- 

 grey, passing into bluish-grey, and minutely freckled with black. The rest 

 of the upper parts are wood-brown, barred and spotted with black, and 

 blotched with large spots of yellowish-white. On the secondaries the 

 markings are much bolder, but the distribution is the same. The quills 

 are brownish-black, waved with reddish-brown. The length of the tail- 



