DENDRORTYX MACROURUS.

Large-tailed Partridge.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Dend. front ould nieris : lined alba
fronte et gula nigris ; linea alba super, atque infra plumas auriculares.

Head crested, tl inclini pple nels

, the feathers inclining backwards ; forehead, throat, ear-coverts and crest black,

the feathers of the latter with a spatulate spot of di
4 4 . Cc OVec u wo i . is it L

: 7 a I ate spot of reddish brown at the extremity ; two
ines, one above an ther 2 ear-c rts, white ;

; é the other below the ear-coverts, white; upper part of the chest, back
of the neck and mantle rich ches -r , the rs_ bei

ame | nesta red, the edges of the feathers being grey; all the
upper surface, wings and tail olive-brown, assuming the form of transverse bars on the
wings and tail; primaries uniform greyish brown ; under surface grey, each feather with
a} in 0) 2ST ° oY ry, « = a ; > a Alken ro 5 =
a l . of goes down the centre, and indistinct markings of greyish white on the
margins of the webs; under tail-coverts black edged with buff; bill, feet and orbits red.
Total length, 151 inches; dz//, 3; wings, 61; tal, 61; tarsi, 21; middle toe and nail, 2.

aa

Ortyx macroura, Jard. and Selb. Ill. Orn., vol. i. pl. 49.—Nat. Lib. Orn., vol. iv. pl. 12.

 

Tus species, the largest of the family yet discovered, is a native of Mexico, and is so rare in the
cabinets of this country, that the specimen in the collection of Sir William Jardine, Bart., is the only one I
am acquainted with ; it was purchased at the sale of Bullock’s London Museum. Another example, which
kindly lent me to figure from, is contained in the collection of Prince Massena at Paris; the
adult males.

trao nevius of Gmelin ; but upon

has been
colouring of these two specimens is precisely alike, and they appear to be

The late M. Natterer considered this bird to be identical with the Ze
his description, I find so great a disparity between them,

still, as the details given are vague and indefinite, I should
He states, for instance, that the 7. nevis is twenty-
eed sixteen inches; and he mentions nothing re-
I have therefore retained for it Messrs. Jardine

comparing the above-mentioned specimens with
that though he may be correct in this opinion,
deem it hazardous to adopt Gmelin’s specific name.
one inches long, whereas the present bird does not exc
specting the black colouring of the head and throat ;
and Selby’s appropriate appellation of macrourus.

Of the habits and economy of this species I regre

Habitat, Mexico.
The Plate represents an adult male of the natural Size.

t to say nothing whatever is known.

meer 7 SE a A BX.

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