74 TETRAONID^. 



94. Caccabis chukor, Gray, III. Lid. Zool. pi 54 ; Jerd., B. 

 Ind. iii. p. 564, No. 820 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs, Ind. B.^. 139; Murray, 

 Hdbk., Zool., ^-c, Sind, p. 203; id.. Vert. Zool., Sind, p. 213; Hume and 

 Marsh., Ga?}ie Birds ii. p. 33, pi. ; Murray, Avif. Brit. Ind. ii. p. 553, 

 No. 12 17. — The Chukor Partridge. 



Above pale bluish or olive ashy, with a rufescent tinge on the back ; sides 

 of the face, chin and throat fulvous, pale chestnut or rufescent, encircled by a 

 broad black band from the forehead through the eye along the side of the 

 neck on to the breast, meeting its fellow from the other side and forming a 

 large pale chestnut or rufous pectoral gorget ; a pale white line behind the 

 eye ; ear coverts chestnut ; sides of the lower mandible and chin with a black 

 spot ; breast bluish ashy, slightly tinged with rufescent ; abdomen and under 

 tail coverts buff, the flanks from the axil deeper buff, each feather ashy at the 

 base with two dark bands, the interspace of which is buff and terminated 

 broadly with chestnut ; wings concolorous with the back, the ends of all the 

 primaries, except the first, margined to nearly the tip on their outer webs with 

 buff, some of the secondaries also ; axillaries buff. Tail rufous, except the 

 central feathers, which are concolorous with the back. 



Length. — 14 to 15*75 inches; expanse 21 to 23-25; wing 625 to 6'8 ; tail 4 to 

 4'8. The female is slightly smaller. Length — 1310 1 4*25; resembles the 

 male, and wants the spur. 



Hab. — Throughout the Himalayas to Afghanistan. Common also in 

 Beloochistan, Sind, Punjab Salt Range, Persia and along the Arabian Coast. 

 Breeds from May to July in Chaman (S. Afghanistan), making a nest composed 

 of a little grass under the shelter of grass tufts or bushes. The normal number 

 of eggs is 12, but as many as 14 and 16 have been taken from a single nest, 

 all varying in size and shape, from peg-tops to elongated ovals. The colour 

 is also variable, but typically is a pale ca/e an lait ground colour, with brick- 

 red specklings- The Chukor Partridge is very pugnacious, especially during 

 spring time, when two fighting cocks may be almost knocked over with a 

 stick. They are much prized for their fighting propensities, and in Beloochis- 

 tan and Afghanistan the men have a number trained for the purpose, on which 

 large bettings are made. Wherever Chukor are found, September and 

 October are certainly the best months for shooting them. The young of the 

 year are then fatter than the old ones, much more tender, and better eating, 

 though the old ones are not to be despised when "hungup till gamey," Chukor 

 eggs and those of the Common Grey make excellent omelette ; hard boiled, 

 they curry well. 



Gen. Ammoperdix.— Gmj/. 



Bill reddish ; wings long ; tarsi not spurred. 



95. Ammoperdix bonhami, Gray, Des. Murs. I. 0. t. 29 ; 



Gould, B. As. pi. ii. pi. 4 ; Jerd., B. Ind. iii. p. 567 ; Hume, Str. F. i. 226 



