SPORT IN WESTERN CHINA 127 



of Tachienlu, and it was here that Prince Henri d'Orleans 

 secured the type-specimen. As far as I know no specimen 

 of Snow-cock other than Prince Henri's has been collected 

 in this region and sent to Western museums. L'Abbe David 

 and others have stated that the Himalayan species {T. tihetanus) 

 occurs in this same region, but no specimens have been taken. 

 It is improbable that two species so closely allied inhabit the 

 same locality. The principal difference is the grey chest of 

 T. henrici, and white chest, divided from breast by a grey 

 band, in T. tihetanus. Personally, I am of the opinion that 

 the only Snow-cock found in the neighbourhood of Tachienlu 

 and Mupin is T. henrici. 



SNOW-PARTRIDGE 



Colloquially known as the Hsueh che (literally, " Snow 

 Chicken"), this bird {Lerwa lerwa) is not uncommon in the 

 alpine moorlands of the Chino-Thibetan borderland. I have 

 met with it around Sungpan Ting and on the Pan-Ian shan, 

 between Kuan Hsien and Monking Ting, at elevations of 

 11,500 to 14,000 feet. Hereabouts it is found on open moor- 

 lands amongst herbs and dwarf brush, always in small coveys 

 of six to ten birds. They lie very close, and when they do 

 take wing scatter in all directions. If flushed on the slopes of 

 the mountains the birds fly down and round at great speed and 

 are difficult to shoot. They make considerable noise when 

 rising and never fly any great distance. Good sport can be 

 enjoyed behind a well-trained dog, and the bird is very good 

 eating. The plumage of the back is barred black with yellowish- 

 grey and buff ; under-parts, chestnut with a few pale stripes ; 

 beak and legs, coral-red ; total length about 14 inches. 



SIFAN-PARTRIDGE 



This dainty bird {Perdix hodgsonicB sifanica), which is 

 about the size of the European Partridge, is common on 

 scrub-clad mountains from Tachienlu to Sungpan Ting at 

 elevations between 9000 and 14,000 feet. It is generally found 

 two or four together, and in late August and September in 



