THE BOCK OR BARBARY PARTRIDGE. 479 



crescent shaped spots of orange and black; the pen feathers 

 are brown ; the foremost having an orange spot not far from 

 the tip, and the shorter ones being tinged with grey. The 

 tail is composed of fourteen grey feathers, of which the five 

 outermost are tipped with orange. The feet are furnished with 

 a blunt spur. 



This bird is not to be confounded with the Tetrao RufusofLis- 

 KZTJS, thePerdix Rouge of BUFFON : the latter is smaller; the front 

 of the head greyish brown ; the back reddish brown, with two 

 oblique black spots upon each feather. The upper part of the 

 neck a reddish brown ; the back, wings, and rump, greyish 

 brown; the back being somewhat darker than the rest. 

 Behind the eyes is a scarlet warty spot, and the eyelids are 

 also red. The cheeks and throat are white, and enclosed with 

 a black stripe, which commencing at the beak, passes over 

 the eyes, and down the sides of the neck to the breast ; be- 

 coming gradually broader in its course, and the breast being 

 spotted with white. The breast is pale grey ; the belly, sides, 

 thighs, and vent, orange ; the sides adorned with white, black, 

 and orange stripes. The pen feathers are greyish brown, 

 edged with yellow near the point of the outer plume, and the 

 hindmost spotted with green ; of the tail feathers, which are 

 sixteen in number, the five outermost are orange ; the rest 

 greyish brown. This bird is a native of France and Italy. 



Observations. The Bock Partridge is found common in Switz- 

 erland and Greece, and is occasionally found in Bohemia, Austria, 

 and the southern provinces of Germany. It seems to prefer 

 mountains and rocky places. Its food consists of grain, seeds, 

 vegetables, and insects, and it is particularly fond of ants' eggs. 

 The cry of the male, which he very frequently utters in the pair- 

 ing season, is Khasibis. Though not so tame as the Quail, it is 

 said to propagate its species in confinement, like the Partridge ; 

 and in the island of Scio is driven in flocks to its pastures and 

 back again, obeying meanwhile the whistle of the guide. Its 

 handsome appearance, cheerful disposition, and animated move- 

 ments are its chief recommendation as an inmate of the aviary. 



ADDITIONAL. This appears to be the Perdix Petrosa of 

 LATHAM, TEMMINCK, YAERELL, &c., of which one specimen is 

 recorded to have been found dead at Edmondthorpe, Leicester- 

 shire, in 1842, as mentioned by the last named of the above 

 naturalists. 



