328 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 



683. ARBOEJCOLA RUFOGULARIS. 

 THE RED-THROATED HILL-PARTRIDGE. 



Arboricola rufogularis, SI. J. A. S. B. xviii. p. 819 ; Jerd. B. 2nd ii. p. 578 ; Bl. 

 B. Burm. p. 150 ; Hume, S. F. v. p. 114 ; Hume fy Dav. S. F. vi. p. 444 ; Hume, 

 S. F. viii. p. Ill ; Hume $ Marsh. Game Birds, ii. p. 75, pi. ; Scully, S. F. viii. 

 p. 349. Arborophila rufogularis, Hume, S. F. ii. p. 450. Arboricola 

 tickelli, Hume, in Hume fy Marsh. Game Birds, ii. p. 78, note. 



Description. Male and female. Very similar to A. intermedia. The 

 throat, fore neck and sides of the neck, instead of being black, are rufous 

 spotted with black ; and the rufous of the fore neck is divided from the grey 

 of the breast by a black band. 



Legs and feet pale pinky red; bill horny black; irides deep brown; 

 orbital skin bright red. (Davison.) 



Length 11 inches, tail 3, wing 5 '5, tarsus 1'5, bill from gape 1*1. The 

 female is rather smaller. 



The Tenasserim race of this Partridge is said by Mr. Hume to differ 

 from the Himalayan bird in constantly wanting the black band, which in 

 this latter separates the rufous of the fore neck from the grey of the 

 breast. In some Himalayan birds, however, according to the same 

 authority, this same black line, although indicated, is imperfect ; and 

 I therefore do not think this character sufficient to allow the Tenasserim 

 to take specific rank as a distinct species. The difference between the 

 Himalayan and Arrakan Partridges is, in my opinion, of far greater 

 stability and importance, and entitles the two to be considered specifically 

 distinct. 



The Red-throated Hill-Partridge was procured by Mr. Davison on the 

 higher slopes of Mooleyit mountain in Tenasserim, where it appears to be 

 very abundant. Colonel Tickell, many years ago, also obtained it at the 

 same locality. 



It is found along the Himalayas from Assam to Kumaon. It will pro- 

 bably be found on the mountains of Independent Burmah and Karennee. 



This Partridge appears to have the usual habits of the Hill- Partridges. 

 These birds, judging from A. atrogularis, make their nests, as might 

 be expected, on the ground, and lay about four eggs, which are white. 



A. charltoni is said to have occurred in South Tenasserim ; but on what 

 authority I do not know. Mr. Blyth does not include it in his Catalogue 

 of Burmese birds ; and in the absence of any definite evidence in support 

 of its occurrence in Burmah, I exclude it from this work. It is closely 

 allied to A. chloropus, but has the legs red, not green; it also differs in 

 having the back mottled and freckled, not barred conspicuously, with 

 brown, and the shafts of this part are buff- coloured ; the chin and throat 

 are partially surrounded by a broken black band. 



