211 



PERDIX. PARTRIDGE. 



Although the Partridges bear a great resemblance to the 

 Ptarmigans, and many species of Grouse, they differ from them 

 in having the tarsi always bare, and sometimes furnished with a 

 tubercle behind, and in generally having a bare space behind or 

 about the eye, while they w^ant the superciliary membranes. 

 There are other points of difference, which may be observed on 

 comparing birds of these genera, or on perusing the following 

 generic characters. The genus Perdix of Temminck, which he 

 merely divides into three sections, the Francolins, Partridges, 

 and Quails, is now generally formed into a number of genera, 

 bearing the names oi Francolinus^ Perdix^ Ortyx^ and Coturnix^ 

 the first composed of birds of which the males have spurs, and 

 often present a marked affinity to species of the pheasant family ; 

 the second of those destitute of spurs, and having a bare space 

 near the eye ; the third of the thick-billed American species ; 

 and the fourth of the smaller species, of which the head is 

 entirely feathered. Of the Francolins no species occur in 

 Britain. The Partridges, of which we have two, one natu- 

 ralized in some counties of England, the other indigenous, pre- 

 sent the following characters. 



Bill short, strong, slightly curved. Upper mandible having 

 its dorsal outline arcuato-declinate, the ridge broad and convex, 

 the sides convex, the edges straight and ascending to beyond 

 the nostrils, where they are inflected, then declinato-arcuate, 

 sharp and overlapping, the tip rounded and thin-edged. Lower 

 mandible narrower, its angle broad and rounded, the dorsa] 

 outline convex, the back broadly convex, the sides also convex, 

 the edges erect or slightly involute and sharp, the tip rounded. 



Mouth rather narrow ; upper mandible concave internally, 



p2 



