Zoological Illustrations/VolIII-Pl163



nivosus,

White-spotted Turnix.


 * Rostrum mediocre, gracile, rectum, valdè compressum culmine levato, ad apicem sub-incurvo. Nares laterales, lineares, sulcatæ, membranâ convexâ corneâ vix tectæ, aperturâ fissâ, elongatâ. Pedes longi, digitis tribus anticis divisis. Halluce caret. Cauda brevissima tectricibus obtecta. Alæ mediocres.


 * Bill moderate, slender, straight, much compressed, culmen elevated, towards the tip slightly incurved. Nostrils lateral, linear, sulcated, partially covered by a convex horny membrane, the aperture narrow and elongated; legs long, with three toes before, divided at their base. Hind toe none. Tail very short, concealed by the covers. Wings moderate.


 * Generic Type. Perdix nigricollis. Lath.


 * H. supra ferrugineo varius; mento albescente; jugulo pectoreque pallidè ferrugineis, maculis albis, nitidis, ornatis; corpore albo; uropygio caudæque tectricibus superioribus rufis, immaculatis.


 * Above varied with ferruginous; chin whitish; throat and breast pale ferruginous, with white shining spots; body white; rump and upper tail-covers rufous, unspotted.


 * H. nivosus. Swainson, in Tilloch's Phil. Magazine, vol. 60. p. 353.

I have represented this delicate little bird of its natural size; which is so small, as scarcely to equal that of a Lark. The Turnix inhabits the sandy deserts of Africa and India, and seems to form a race of pigmy Bustards, all the species yet discovered (fourteen in number) being very diminutive. Little is known of their habits in a state of nature, further than that they migrate, and fly with great rapidity. The specific character will distinguish H. nivosus as a species; and I have already given a more detailed description of it in the Journal above quoted. Mr. Leadbeater received it from Senegal.