44 



THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



gay colours. They are sometimes called Argus 

 Pheasants, but the true Argus [Argusianus argus) 

 is a very different bird, with enormously long 

 secondary quills, ornamented with eye-spots, con- 

 cealed in repose, and very long centre tail-feathers. 

 Another Eastern group with eye-spot markings is 

 that of the Peacock- Pheasants (Polyplectron). 



Of Partridges, the common British species {Perdix 

 perdix) ranges to Persia ; further east its place is 

 taken by the smaller Bearded Partridge (P. barbata), 

 often sent over here frozen ; this has a black instead 

 of chocolate-brown patch on the breast. The Chukore 

 Partridge of India {Caccabis chukar) extends from 

 Greece to China, and is much like our Red-leg, but 

 greyer, and without the fringe of black spots below 

 the black necklace found in that bird [Caccabis rufa). 



Among the Grouse, the Ryper, or Willow-grouse 

 [Lagopus albiis), ranges all round the world in the 

 high north ; it is very similar to our Red Grouse 

 (L. scoticus), confined to the British Islands. The 

 Ryper, however, has always a white belly and wings, 

 and turns white in winter, this being the " Ptar- 

 migan " commonly seen for sale in poulterers' 

 shops. It does not occur naturally in Britain. 

 The other Ptarmigans also all turn white, and are 

 found on high mountains in the Northern hemi- 

 sphere in both worlds, one species (L. miUus) 

 being found in Scotland. Our Blackcock {Lyrurus 

 tetrix), almost the only game-bird with a forked 

 tail, is found all across the Old World, but the 

 large Capercailzie [Tetrao urogallus), the biggest 

 of all Grouse, is replaced in Eastern Siberia by 

 allied species. Hybrids between these two birds 

 often occur, and hybridism is more frequent among 

 Grouse than in any other birds. 



Of the American Grouse, the Ruffed Grouse 

 [Bonasa umbellus) is the most familiar ; it is closely 



