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PTEROCLES. PTEROCLES. 

 Generic Character. 



Rostrum mediocre, gracilius, 

 rectum, compressum; max- 

 illa versus apicem deflexa. 



Nares basales, longitudinales, 

 membrana superne semi- 

 clausae, plumulis obtectae, 

 infra patulae. 



Pedes debiles, antice hirsuti, 

 tetradactyli ; digiti breves, 

 pollice brevissimo. 



Cauda cuneata. 



Alee elongatae. 



BeaJc middle sized, slender, 

 straight, compressed ; the 

 maxilla bent down towards 

 its tip. 



Nostiils basal, longitudinal ; 

 half closed before by amem- 

 brane covered with feathers, 

 beneath open. 



Legs weak, plumose in front, 

 four-toed; toes short, the 

 hinder one very short. 



Tail wedge-shaped. 



Wings elongated. 



Pterocles. Temmincic, 

 CEnas. Vieillot. 



Tetrad. Linn., GmeL, Lath., Fall, 

 Perdix. Lath., Ray. 

 Bo NASA. Briss. 



This genus was divided from Tetrao by Tem- 

 minck, the birds of which it is composed residing 

 in the sandy plains and deserts of hot countries, 

 two only being occasionally found in the south of 

 Europe : they form their nest on the ground, and 



