53$ 



PERDIX. PARTRIDGE. 

 Generic Character. 



i?o*^rww breve, basi glabrum; 



maxilla superiore incur- 



vato-fornicata. 

 Nares basales, margine pro- 



minulae. 

 Orhitce nudse papillosae. 

 Cauda brevis, deflexa. 

 Pedes tetradactyli, nudi, aut 



calcarati, aut muticio 

 Alas breves. 



Beak short, smooth at the 

 base ; the upper mandible 

 arched and bent down. 



Nostrils basal, with the mar- 

 gin prominent. 



Orbits naked, warted. 



Tail short, bent down. 



Feet four-toed, naked, witb 

 spurs or smooth. 



Wings short. 



Perdix. Ray. Briss. Lath, Cuv. Tern, Leach. Vieil, Nilss. 

 Tetrao. Linn, GmeL 



The birds of this genus live entirely upon the 

 ground in open fields, never frequenting the woods 

 or perching upon trees : they live upon seeds and 

 insects, and the females deposit their eggs in a 

 "rude nest formed of grass and other herbs : the 

 young remain with the parents till the breeding 

 season, when they divide, and provide for their 

 future progeny : they are monogamous. Their beak 

 is shorter and weaker than in the preceding genus : 

 the tarsi of the males are but slightly spurred, and 

 in some of the species have only a simple tubercle : 

 the females have their tarsi smooth : their tail is 

 short, and has a tendency to descend* 



