THE RED-LEGGED 

 PARTRIDGES. 



The sole representative of the Red-legged 

 Partridges in India is allied to the English 

 bird, C. riifa, but differs chiefly in having 

 the chest or upper breast unmarked. 



In these Partridges the sexes are similar 

 in plumage, but the males are rather larger 

 than the females. The male is furnished 

 with one blunt spur on each leg. The tail 

 is rounded and composed of 14 feathers. 

 The sides of the body are beautifully 

 banded with a combination of grey, black, 

 buff and chestnut ; the plumage is charac- 

 terised by an absence of bars and streaks ; 

 and the first ten quills of the wing are 

 partially buff on the outer web. 



The Chukor or Indian Red-legged 

 Partridge is replaced in a considerable 

 part of Europe by a close ally, C. saxatilis, 

 which differs principally in having the 

 ear-coverts black mixed with buff, instead 

 of having them wholly chestnut as in the 

 Indian bird. 



178 



