THE SNOW-COCKS. 69 



out walking many yards from the spot. They seldom, in any 

 situation, walk far downhill, and never run except for a few 

 yards when about to take wing." 



Nest. — A hole scratched in the ground, under the shelter of a 

 stone, rock, or bush, at elevations of from 12,000 to 17,500 

 feet. 



Eggs. — Five in number generally, but said to be as many as 

 nine and even twelve. In shape a long perfect oval ; shell 

 minutely pitted with pores; olive or brownish stone-colour, 

 with numerous spots and dots, and sometimes small blotches 

 of reddish- or purplish-brown. Average measurements, 272 

 by 1*85 inches. 



V. THE CASPIAN SNOW-COCK. TETRAOGALLUS CASPIUS. 



Tdrao caspms, Gmel. Reise, iv. p. 67, pi. 10 (1784). 

 Tetraogalbis caspiiis, Gould, B. Asia, vii. pi. 29 (1853) ; Sclat. 

 in Wolf's Zool. Sketches (i), pi. 40 (i86t) ; Ogilvie-Grant, 

 Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 108 (1893). 

 Megaloperdix raddet, Bolle and Brehm, J. f. O. 1873, p. 4. 

 Tetraogallus challayei^ Oustal. Bull. Soc. Philom. 1875, P- 54- 

 Tetraogallus tauricus^ Dresser, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 675. 



Adult Male — Like T. himalaye?isis, but paler in its general 

 colour, and easily distinguished by the grey chest, the absence 

 of chestnut on the sides of the nape and head, and by having 

 the basal part of the inner (secondary) flight-feathers white. 

 Total length, 24 inches ; wing, 11 '5; tail, 7-5; tarsus, 2-6. 



Adult Female. — Differs in having the grey feathers of the chest 

 mottled with buff. Total length, 23 inches; wing, 11; tail, 

 6 "9 ; tarsus, 2*3. 



Range. — Mountains of Asia Minor, ranging west of the Gok 

 Mountains, east to Transcaspia, north to the Caucasus, and 

 south to the higher ranges near Shiraz, S. Persia.* 



* Possibly the bird from S. Persia may be different. Mr. Hume thinks it 

 may prove to be T. himalayensis. 



