ODONTOPHORUS LINEOLATUS.
S trip ed -b re a sted P a r trid g e .
S p e c if ic C haracter.
0 ,1 corpore subt 'us pallide cervino-fusco, sive pallide ferruginoso, plvmis singulis lined alba
centrali impressis.
Crown o f the head and crest dark brown, becoming o f a paler hue down the shafts o f the feathers
; at the back o f the neck a patch of dark brownish black, blotched on either side with
buff; middle o f the back brown, finely freckled with dark brown, and with pale brown
centres to each feather j wing-coverts mottled brown and buff, the latter predominating on
the outer web and with a line o f buff down the shaft; primaries and secondaries brown,
mottled with buff on their outer webs; tertiaries rich chestnut-brown and black, with a
small triangular spot of buff at their tips, and a broad conspicuous mark of buff on the
margins of their inner w eb s; lower part o f the back and upper tail-coverts brownish buff,
crossed with broken bands o f dark blackish brown ; scapularies dark brown on their inner
webs, buffy white freckled with black on the outer webs, and with a^stripe of buff down
the centre; tail dark brown, freckled with b uff; chin white; face and throat grey, bounded
by a narrow line o f black, produced b y the outer row of feathers being tipped with that
colour; under surface sandy red, fading into white on the vent, each feather with a lighter
stripe down the centre, under tail-coverts buff with black centres.
Total length, 8 inches; bill, £ ; wing, 5 ; tail, 2; tarsi, I f ; middle toe and nail, I t .
P e rd ix lineolata, Licht. in Mus. Berlin.
O rty x lineolatus, Natt. MSS.
thoracicus, Gamb. Proc. of Acad. Phil. 1847, t. 77•
Odontophorus lineolatus, Gray and Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. iii. p. 513, Odontopliorus, sp. 7-
Eight years ago—February 22, 1843—the following note respecting this species was sent to me by my
valued friend the late Mr. John Natterer of Vienna “ Of this bird I saw two specimens in the Museum
of Berlin, under the name of Perdix lineolata, Licht. Unfortunately I took no description, as it was very
cold in the Museum towards the end of November 1838, the time of my visit there : I merely noted, ‘ two
curious birds with large feet and long toes ; differing so much in colour that they might be considered as
two species.’ I have no doubt M. Lichtenstein will lend you these birds, and any others you may want for
your Monograph.” Shortly after the receipt of the above, and many other useful notes from the same kind
friend, I paid a visit to Berlin and examined the birds in question, and was permitted to bring them to
London and make drawings of them : one strictly accords with the description given above ; the other
differs in having the throat and broad stripe over the eye and down the side of the neck rufous, and the
under surface greyish brown. I have no doubt that they are the opposite sexes of the same species, and as
such I have figured them.
Unaware, I presume, that this species had been previously named by M. Lichtenstein, Dr. Gambel of
Philadelphia has lately assigned to it the specific appellation of thoracicus, which I am sure he will readily
resign in favour of the prior name of lineolatus.
Habitat. The specimens at Berlin and at Philadelphia are all from Mexico, which we may hence infer is
the true habitat of the species.
The figures are of the natural size.