ORNITHOLOGY. 
27 
Ortyx Californica. Steph., Gen. Zool. vol. 11. p. 384. 
Perdix Californica. Lath., Ind. Orn. Supp. p. 62. sp. 2. 
Crested Partridge of New California. La Perouse , Voy. vol. 1. p. 201. 
Several skins of this species, which had hitherto been of great rarity in European collections, 
were brought home by the expedition. Some living specimens were also brought to England by 
Capt. Beechey, two of which (males) presented by him to the Zoological Society, are now in good 
health in their gardens. All the females unfortunately died on the passage, or there would have been 
reason to have expected a breed from them, the Maryland Quail being known to breed freely in this 
country. 
Ortyx Douglasii. n. s. Zool. Journ. vol. A. p. 3£4. — Jardine and Selby's Illust. 
of Orn. pi. 107. — Linn., Trans, vol. 16. p. 145. 
Ort. plumbeo-brunnea , cristA erectA alisque supra saturate brunneis, his flavo-ferrugineo striatis ; capite, genis, nucha- 
que brunneo et flavo-ferrugineo lineatis ; gula alba, brunneo notata ; abdomine albo guttato. 
Capitis plum® in medio brunne®, ad latera flavo-ferrugine® ; gul® albas, in medio brunne®. Dorsum rectricesqne 
superiores plumbeo-brunneas, fusco gracillime undulat®, plumis ad apicem pallido-fermgineo terminatis. Tectrices ala- 
rum rectricesque secundariae interiores saturate biunneas, plumis ad latera flavo-ferrugineo ad morem Scolopacum notatis. 
Remiges primari® fusco-brunne®, subtus fuse®. Tectrices inferiores pallide fuse®, albo guttat®. Crissum flavo-ferrugi- 
neum, plumis in medio brunneis. Rostrum pedesque nigri. Longitudo corporis, 9 ; rostri, % ; alee, a carpo ad apicem 
remigis quint®, 4) ; caudce, 3 ; tarsi, 1. 
PLATE XI. 
This species was first discovered in the Rocky Mountains by Mr. Douglas, who did not succeed 
in bringing home specimens, but accurately described it in his manuscripts. 
The species lias been with justice dedicated to the enterprising discoverer. A single specimen 
only was brought home from Monterey. 
Order IV. GRALLATORES. 
Fam. ARDEIDiE. 
Ardea exilis. Lath., Ind. Orn. p. 683. sp. 29.— Wils., Am. Orn. vol. 8. p. 37. 
pi. 65. f. 4. — Pr. of Musignano, Syn. sp. 23 S. 
Minute Heron. Lath., Gen. Hist. vol. 9. p. 72. sp. 34. 
This species was found at San Francisco. A specimen examined by Mr. Collie “was shot on the 
margin of a streamlet of water surrounded by low shrubs. The irides were yellow: the stomach 
muscular: the lower larynx simple.” 
Nycticorax crassirostris. n. s. 
Nyct. supra castaneo-rufa, subtus plumisque tribus occipitalibus albis ; capite supra nigro ; rostro cratso, subrecto , man- 
dibula inferiori albescenti apice fusco, superiors nigro. 
Longitudo corporis, 21 ; alee, a carpo ad apicem remigis terti®, lOi ; rostri, 4'- ; caudce, 5 ; tarsi, 4. 
This species agrees in every respect with the Nyct. Caledonica, in its colours and the distribu- 
tion of them ; with the exception of the colour of the bill, which is black in the latter bird. It differs 
essentially, however, in the shape of the bill, which is much more solid and nearly straight, approach- 
ing in this respect to the bill of the Bitterns. The proportions of the wing also are different, the length, 
from the carpal joint to the extremity of the largest quill-feather, being an inch less in our bird than in 
the allied species. 
