g6 Allen's naturalist's library. 



III. THE COMMON RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE. CACCABIS RUFA. 



Tetrao rufiis^ Linn. S. N. i. p. 276 (1766). 



Perdix rubra, Gould, B. Europe, iv. pi. 260 (1837). 



Caccabis rufa, Dresser, B, Europe, vii. p. 103, pi. 471, fig. i 



(1875); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 118 



(1893). 



{Plate X) 



Adult Male and Female. — Resemble C. saxafilis in general 

 appearance, but are darker and more richly coloured. In addi- 

 tion to the black band which circumscribes the throat, the 

 feathers of the chest are widely viargi?ied ofi the sides with black, 

 those of the sides and back of the neck more narrowly ; the 

 belly is bright rufous-buff and the outer tail-feathers are dark 

 chestnut. 



Male: Total length, 13-6 inches ; wing, 6*2 ; tail, 37 ; tar- 

 sus, 17. 



Female: Total length, 13 inches; wing, 6; tail, 3"6 ; tar- 

 sus, i'6. 



Range. — South-western Europe ; ranging in the north to 

 Belgium and Switzerland ; in the south to Madeira, the Azores, 

 and Gran Canary ; in the west to North and Central Italy. It 

 is also found in Elba, Corsica, the Balearic Islands, and in 

 Great Britain [introduced]. 



In Spain a somewhat darker and more richly coloured 

 climatic variety of C. rufa is met with, which has been named 

 Caccabis rufa hispauica by Prof. Seoane. This form is figured 

 in the accompanying plate. 



Hal)its. — This remarkably handsome species was first intro- 

 duced into the south-eastern counties of Great Britain about a 

 century ago Like the rest of its allies, it is an inveterate 

 runner, and generally prefers to escape from approaching 

 danger on foot, which it does with great rapidity, seldom taking 

 to flight unless hard pressed or suddenly disturbed. When 

 once on the wing, however, the flight is rapid and straight, and 



