MIRAFRA CHENIANA. 
Form, &c. — Figure rather robust. Head small ; bill short, stout, conical, 
and pointed, the culmen arched from the base. Wings rounded, and when 
folded reach beyond the commencement of the second third of the tail, the 
third, fourth, and fifth quill feathers equal and longest, the second slightly 
shorter, and the first rudimentary ; the tertiary quill feathers nearly as long 
as the primaries, and rather longer than the secondaries. Tail even, or very 
slightly rounded. Tarsi short and rather strong, anteriorly and posteriorly 
scutellated ; toes moderately long and rather slender ; the claws of the fore 
toes short, slender, and slightly curved, the claw of the hinder toe rather 
long, strong, and nearly straight. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. 
Lines. 
Inches. 
Lines. 
from the point of the bill to 
Length of the tarsus 
. . 0 
9 
the tip of the tail 
5 
4 
of the outer toe 
of the hill 
0 
5 
of the middle toe 
5 
of the wings when folded . . . 
2 
10 
of the inner toe 
. . 0 
H 
1 
111 
of the hinder toe 
. . 0 
3 
of the claw of hinder toe 
. . 0 
4 
A second adult specimen of this species was obtained, but its sex was not 
recorded. In size it was rather superior to the male specimen just described, 
and the feathers of the upper parts are broadly edged with a colour 
intermediate between orpiment and reddish orange ; the latter colour on the 
breast is also much darker ; in other respects the two are similar. 
Only a few individuals of this species were seen, and those upon the extensive grassy plains 
to the northward and eastward of Latakoo. It is a species which seems to prefer situations 
which abound in long and rank grass, among which it runs like the quail, and flies like it 
when disturbed to a short distance, and then suddenly descends, after which it cannot again be 
got to take wing unless by the aid of dogs. It feeds upon seeds and small insects. 
