Order  V.  GALLTXJE. 
Family  IV.  Tetraonjd*«. 
The  second  Subfamily, 
TURNICINiE,  or  Bush  Quails, 
have  the  Bill  moderate,  straight,  and  the  sides  compressed  to  the  tip,  which  slightly  overhangs  that  of 
the  lower  mandible ;  the  Nostrils  lateral,  and  placed  in  a  nasal  groove  that  reaches  beyond  half  the  length 
of  the  bill,  with  the  opening  linear,  and  protected  by  a  long  scale :  the  Wings  rather  short,  and  rounded : 
the  Tail  short,  and  almost  concealed  by  the  dorsal  feathers  :  the  Tarsi  moderate  and  strong  :  the  Toes 
usually  three  in  number,  long,  and  free  at  their  base,  the  outer  toe  longer  than  the  inner. 
Turnix  Bonn* 
Bill  moderate  and  straight,  with  the  culmen  more  or  less  elevated  at  the  base,  but  always  curved,  and 
the  sides  compressed  to  the  tip,  which  hangs  over  that  of  the  lower  mandible ;  the  gonys  moderate  and 
ascending ;  the  nostrils  lateral,  basal,  and  placed  in  a  long  groove,  with  the  opening  linear  and  closed  by 
a  scale.  Wings  rather  short  ;  with  the  first,  second,  and  third  quills  equal  and  longest ;  the  tertials  rather 
shorter  than  the  primaries.  Tail  short  and  graduated.  Tarsi  longer  than  the  middle  toe,  strong,  and 
covered  in  front  with  transverse  scales.  Toes  long  and  rather  slender ;  with  the  outer  toe  longer  than  the 
inner ;  the  hind  toe  wanting ;  the  claws  short,  slender,  and  slightly  curved. 
These  birds  are  found  in  the  South  of  Europe,  in  India  and  its  archipelago,  Africa,  Madagascar,  and  Australia  ; 
frequenting  in  small  parties  or  in  pairs  the  open  places  near  rivers,  or  those  that  are  thinly  covered  with  different  kinds 
of  grasses.  They  usually  lie  so  close  to  the  ground  that  it  is  difficult  to  discover  them,  but  when  flushed  they  make 
off  with  a  rapid  flight,  which  is  generally  only  prolonged  for  a  short  distance  within  two  or  three  feet  of  the  surface, 
and  then  they  suddenly  pitch  to  the  ground  and  hide  among  the  herbage,  or  run  along  with  great  swiftness  until  they 
consider  themselves  safe  from  pursuit.  The  nest  is  composed  of  grasses,  placed  in  a  shallow  depression  of  the  ground, 
under  the  shelter  of  a  small  tuft  of  grass.    The  female  generally  lays  four  eggs. 
1.  T.  africanus  Desfont.  Mem.  de  l'Acad.  des  Sci.  1789- 
p.  500.  —  Tetrao  andalusicus  Gmel.  ;  Hemipodius  tachydromus 
Temm. 
2.  T.  gibraltaricus  (Gmel.)  Gould,  B.  of  Eur.  pi.  264.  —  He- 
mipodius lunatus  Temm. 
3.  T.  nigrifrons  (Vieill.)  N.  Diet.  d'Hist.  Nat.  xxiv.  t.  G.  36. 
f.  2.,  Gal.  des  Ois.  t.  217. 
4.  T.  Dussumierii  (Temm.)  PI.  col.  454.  f.  2.,  Beng.  Sport. 
Mag.  1836.  pi.  1.  f.  5.  —  Hemipodius  variabilis  Hodgt. 
5.  T.  maculosus  (Temm.)  Pig.  et  Gall.  iii.  757-  —  Turnix  ma- 
culatus  Vieill.  ;  Hemipodius  melanotus  Gould,  Syn.  B.  of  Austr.  pi., 
Gal.  des  Ois.  t.  217- 
6.  T.joudera  Hodgs. —  Turnix  tanki  Bl.  Journ.  A.  S.  B.  xii. 
p.  180*?  Hemipodius  maculosus  Temm.}  Beng.  Sport.  Mag. 
1838.  pi.  1.  f.  2. 
7.  T.  kpurana  (A.  Smith),  111.  S.  Afr.  Zool.  Birds,  pi. 
8.  T.  pugnax  (Temm.)  Pig.  et  Gall.  iii.  p.  612.,  PI.  col.'60. 
f.  2. 
*  Bonnaterre  established  this  genus  in  1790  (Encyl.  Method,  p.  5.).  Tridactylus  of  Lacepede  (1800—1801),  Ortygis  llligcr  (1811), 
Hemipodius  of  M.  Reinwardt  (1815),  and  Ortygodes  of  Vieillot  (1816)  are  synonymous. 
