CHAR. Bill stout, the lower mandible more or less bidentate on each side
near the end.
The _Ortyginæ_ of Bonaparte, or _Odontophorinæ_ of other authors, are
characterized as a group by the bidentation on either side of the edge
of lower mandible, usually concealed in the closed mouth, and sometimes
scarcely appreciable. The bill is short, and rather high at base;
stouter and shorter than what is usually seen in Old World Partridges.
The culmen is curved from the base; the tip of the bill broad, and
overlapping the end of the lower mandible. The nasal groove is short.
The tail is rather broad and long.
Synopsis of Genera found in the United States.
_a. Head without crest._
=Ortyx.= Tail not much more than half the wings; outstretched feet
reaching beyond the tail.
_b. Head with a crest of a few long narrow, keel-shaped
feathers._
=Oreortyx.= Crest-feathers very long, linear; tail scarcely more than
half the wings; bill stout; claws blunt, the lateral not reaching the
base of the middle claw. Toes of the outstretched foot reaching beyond
the tail.
=Lophortyx.= Crest-feathers widening much terminally, and recurved at
the ends. Tail nearly or quite as long as wings. Bill rather small.
Claws acute, the lateral reaching to the base of middle one. Toes not
reaching the tip of tail.
_c. Crest soft, full, and tufted; composed of short, broad,
depressed feathers._
=Callipepla.= Crest springing from the crown. Wing-coverts normal.
Tail stiffened, nearly as long as the wings. Claws small, acute;
outstretched feet not reaching the tip of tail.
=Cyrtonyx.= Crest occipital. Wing-coverts greatly developed. Tail very
small and soft; half as long as the wings. Toes short; claws very
long, blunted; outstretched feet reaching much beyond the tip of the
tail.
All the North American Quails, except _Cyrtonyx massena_, have the inner
tertiaries edged internally with whitish or buff, forming a conspicuous
line on each side of the rump when the wings are closed.