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FAMILY XXXI. — PERDICINiE. PARTRIDGES. 
Bill very short, stout, broader than high at the base, with the upper man- 
dible convex, thin-edged, obtuse, the lower with the dorsal line convex, the 
tip rounded. Head small, oblong ; neck of moderate length, or rather short ; 
body tery bulky. Feet rather of moderate length, stout ; tarsus bare, ante- 
riorly scutellate ; hind toe rather small, third long, lateral nearly equal, all 
scutellate, anterior webbed at the base. Claws moderate, arched, compressed, 
obtuse. Plumage full andstrong ; featherswith theplumule much developed. 
Wings rather short, convex, rounded. Tail generally short and rounded, of 
more than twelve feathers. Tongue triangular, pointed ; oesophagus with a 
very large crop ; stomach a very strong muscular gizzard, with the lateral 
muscles highly developed, the epithelium dense, with two concave grinding 
surfaces ; intestine long, and of moderate width ; coeca very large, oblong, 
internally with reticulate ridges. Trachea without inferior laryngeal muscles. 
Nest on the ground, rudely constructed. Eggs numerous. Young covered 
with stiffish down. 
Genus I.-^ORTHYX, Steph. AMERICAN PARTRIDGE. 
Bill very short, robust, rather obtuse ; upper mandible with the outline 
decurved from the base, the ridge narrow at the base, on account of the 
breadth of the nasal membrane, somewhat distinct in its whole length, with 
the sides convex, the gap-line arched, the edges thin, without notch, the tip 
decurved, thin-edged, obtuse ; lower mandible with the angle short and 
rounded, the dorsal line slightly convex, the sides rounded, the edges invo- 
lute, the tip rounded. Nostrils basal, linear, operculate, nearly concealed. 
Head of ordinary size, ovato-oblong ; neck rather short ; body full. Feet of 
moderate length ; tarsus shorter than the middle toe, with two anterior series 
of large scales ; first toe small and elevated ; third very long, second shorter 
than third, scutellate, connected at the base by webs of a considerable extent. 
Claws rather stout, arched, compressed, rather acute. Plumage dense, rather 
