202 NATURAL lIISrOIlY OF BIUDS. 



western ami central Asia, Madeira, the Canary Islands, and A9orcs. The genus Cac- 

 cabia contains about six species, with an uninottled jihiinage, with briglit-colored 

 hands on the flanks, ami a general ashy and huff c<)h)ring, admirably adaj)ted to con- 

 ceal the birds in the I'oc-ky grounds they frequent. As a ruk' lliiy are not very good 

 eating, being dry and not very tender, altliough tl)e young, wlion kej)t for a time and 

 properly cooked, are said to be very good. They are extremely pugnacious, and it is 

 stated tliat in former ages they were kept tame for lighting, as ganic-cocks were, and 

 that the Emp<Tor Alexamler Severus was very fond of this sjiort. They are hardy 

 bird.s, braving extremes of heat and cold, and in I'ersia are found in the Ell)urz moun- 

 tain.s, at 10,000 feet elevation. They do not lie well to the dog, but run swiftly, and 

 take fli'^ht when out of range of the gun, and consetiuently are not favorites witli sports- 

 men. In fact, as g:ime-birds, they have little to recommend them beside their liand- 

 sonie .-ijipearance. The nest is merely a hole scratched in the ground, and the number 

 of eggs varies from nine to as many as twenty-four. The red-legs are noisy birds, 

 calling mostly in the morning and evening; and when a covey is scattereil, each indi- 

 vidual, says Ilunic, proclaims liis own and inquires his fellows' whereabouts. The 

 tone varies. First he says, " I 'm here," then he asks " Who 's dead?" and when he 

 is informe<l of the decease of some favorite relative, or jicrhaps his eldest son, he re- 

 8])ond.s, "Oh lor! oh lor!" in quite a mournful tone. The various species feed on 

 grain, seeds, insects, caterpillar-s, etc., and also on tender shoots. 



The splendid birds known by the trivial name of snow-cocks or snow-pheasants, 

 are dwellers, as their name implies, of high elevations on the gigantic mountains of the 

 llimmalehs, and of the Altai, also in the C.iueasus range. They are met with in Asia 

 .Miimr, Armenia, Kurdistan, and Persia, while one species, the S. thibetanus, is found 

 not oidy in Tliibc^t proper, but .'ilso in the moimtains of western China. They range 

 at from to IS, 0(10 feet in elevation, descending to the lower heights in winter after 

 heavy snow. Tliey are large l)irds and extremely shy, go in packs occasionally of 

 twenty to thirty individuals, though five to ten is the more usual number. In summer 

 generally but a ])air ai-e found together. When feeding, a sentinel is always j>osti"d 

 on some commanding spot to give notice of any danger, and as they resort to the 

 rocks .and never enter forest or long grass, it is exceedingly difficult to apjiroach them 

 or take them iniaware.s. They breed early in the s]u-ing, and the young are very skil- 

 ful in hiding among the stones. The numlier of eggs laid is from six to nine, of ])alc 

 olive color, with light or dark red spots. The nests are hollows scra))ed in the earth, 

 and lined with grass and a few feathers or green fir-needles. The sexes differ slightly 

 in )iliim.age, mainly .about the head and Ijreast. In size they vary from a length of 

 nineteen to twenty-nine inches, and in weight from three to six and a half pounds. 

 The genus Lenta contains only one species, the L. nivicohi, known as the snow- 

 partridge, which rang<'S for a tliousand miles along the llimmalehs, and into Thiliel 

 .and western China. In winter it descends to an elevatimi of 7,000 feet, its summer 

 abodes being at from 10,000 to 14.000. In habits ami haunts this bird much resembles 

 the snow-cocks, but it ])rcfers a mossy vegetation to that of a grassy character. It is 

 generally very tame and will jiermit one to ajiproach quite near, when it utters a 

 harsh whistle, but it is exceedingly difficult to distinguish the bird from its surround- 

 ings if it remains motionless. It breeds near the snow-line, and the eg<;s are stated to 

 bo large, dull white and freckled -all over with reildish brown. It is a handsome bird, 

 the whole plumage being minutely barred with black or buffy white, and tinged with 

 chestnut on the side of the neck. The chin is grayish, tln-oat, breast, and u]ij)er jiart 



