MEGAPODES, PAINTED QUAIL, AND PHEASANTS.
Bill short and stout, culmen curved; head small; body heavy; wings short and rounded, curved to the body; tail either very short or greatly elongated; legs moderate to heavy; claws well developed; toes four, slightly webbed at base. Members of this order are terrestrial; their flight is strong and swift but can not be sustained for a long distance. Their food consists of grain, seeds, and insects. The nest is usually a slight hollow in the ground, hidden by grass or brush; the megapodes, however, bury their eggs in mounds.
Suborders.
- a1. Hind toe on a level with the other toes; feet and claws very heavy; colors plain, the sexes similar in color Megapodii (p. [9])
- a2. Hind toe slightly elevated; feet and claws moderate in size; sexes very different in color; males much brighter Phasiani (p. [11])
Suborder MEGAPODII.
Family MEGAPODIIDÆ.
Nostrils oval, situated near anterior border of surrounding membrane; bill moderate, culmen curved; orbital area nearly naked; ear-opening small; chin, throat, and face scantily feathered with short plumes, the skin usually red or dusky; legs, feet, and claws very large and powerful; claws slightly curved and usually blunt; anterior face of tarsus bearing a row of large scutes; rectrices short, exceeding coverts but little; sexes alike.
Genus MEGAPODIUS Gaimard, 1823.
Characters same as those given for the Family.