| “♂ | length, 10½ to 11⅜; | wing, 4½; | tail, 4½. |
| “♀ | “ 10⅜ to 10⅝; | wing, 4½; | tail, 4½.” |
The identical pair of birds alluded to in this excellent and satisfactory history is represented in our plate; and the specimens, with many others collected by this gentleman, are now in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy.
Fine specimens of this bird are also now in the national collection at Washington, and were collected by Dr. Woodhouse, while attached to the party under command of Captain Sitgreaves, which surveyed the rivers Zunia and the Colorado of the west.
DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.
Genus Callipepla. Wagler in Isis, 1832, p. 277.
Head, with a crest of long feathers, either pendent or erectile, and recurved; bill, short, with the upper mandible curved gradually from the base, under mandible straight, and near the tip having generally two dentations, nostrils rather large, basal, covered with a membrane. Wings, rather ample, concave, quills rigid; tail, rather lengthened, strong; tarsi rather long and moderately robust. About six species known, all of which inhabit Mexico, and the adjoining parts of the United States and California, and are birds of beautiful plumage.
“Lophortyx Gambelii. Nutt.” Gambel. Proc. Acad. Philada., I. p. 260, (1843.)
Form. With an upright recurved crest of about six feathers, general form robust, rather lengthened; wings, with the third, fourth and fifth quills nearly equal and longest; tail, long; feet and legs robust. Feathers in front, at the base of the bill very narrow and probably erectile.
Dimensions of skins, total length from tip of bill to end of tail, from 9¾ to 10½ inches; wing, 4½; tail, 4 to 4½ inches; of living or recent bird, according to Col. McCall, as above, total length of male, 10½ to 11⅜ inches; of female, 10⅜ to 10⅝ inches.
Colours. Male. Frontal feathers white, each having a narrow longitudinal line of black, succeeding those a transverse band of white. Top of the head, fine reddish chestnut, crest, brownish black. Throat, black, which colour is completely enclosed by an edging of white.