MEGAPODES AND BRUSH-TURKEYS. 
437 
Californian quail ( Loptiortyx calif'ornicus), often seen in aviaries, and at once 
distinguished by its conspicuous crest of black club-shaped feathers. In the cock 
the forehead is buff, the rest of the head and the throat black, edged with a white 
band; the neck, mantle, and chest being grey, and having each feather margined 
with black and spotted with white; while the rest of the upper-parts are greyish 
olive-brown, and the under - parts buff, barred with black and shading into 
chestnut. The female has the crest shorter and browner, and the feathers of the 
head and neck are mostly dirty white, with dark middles. This bird, which 
inhabits the extreme western 
States, from Washington to 
California, ranging inland to 
Nevada, has been introduced 
into various parts of the 
world. A rather peculiar form 
is the South Mexican barred 
quail ( Philortyx fasciatus) 
which has the greater part of 
both upper and under-parts 
barred. Central and Northern 
South America are the home 
of the seven species of crested 
quails (Eupsychortyx), differ¬ 
ing from all those mentioned 
in having the tail shorter, as 
well as in their smaller size. 
Closely allied, but lacking the 
crest, is the genus Ortyx, including such well-known forms as the Virginian quail 
( 0 . virginianus), or “ Bob-white,” as it is called in the States, and several other 
species, with the greater portion of the under-parts uniform chestnut or brick- 
red, and inhabiting the South-Western States and Mexico. Three striking and 
peculiarly marked species of quail constitute Cyrtonyx, inhabiting the south¬ 
western United States, Mexico, and Central America ; the males being distinguished 
by their full crest, black-and-white patterned head, and eyed under-parts. 
BLACK-THROATED CRESTED QUAIL. 
Megapodes and Brush-Turkeys. 
Megapodes. 
Family Megatobubje. 
We now come to the second section of the order, containing 
two families characterised by having the first toe on the same 
level as the others. The members of the present family are chiefly remarkable 
on account of their nesting-habits, their eggs being deposited in the sand or in a 
mound raised by one or more pairs of birds, and incubated by the heat caused 
by the fermentation of the decaying vegetable matter and the warmth of the sun. 
The young are hatched fully feathered, and able to fly almost from birth. The 
legs and feet of all these birds are remarkably strong and stout, and thus well 
