412 



GAME-BIRDS. 



eighteen tail-feathei-s, and the under-parts of the body devoid of black crossbars ; 

 while to the second group belong Hodgson's partridge (P. liodgsoni) from South 

 Tibet, and the smaller more northern form (P. sifanica) from Kansu, both of which 

 have only sixteen tail-feathers, and the under-parts barred with black. The common 

 partridge ranges over Europe and Western and Central Asia, as far, at least, as the 

 Barabinska Steppes and the Altai. Until recently the chestnut horse-shoe mark 

 on the breast was considered as distinctive of the male, the female having this 



A COVEY OF GREY PARTRIDGES. 



reduced to a few chestnut spots, or absent. It is true, indeed, that in old birds the 

 differences in this patch are generally characteristic of the male and female, but in 

 the majority of immature females the horse-shoe is well developed, and nearly or 

 quite as large as in the adult male. Immature birds of both sexes may be recog- 

 nised by having the first flight-feather pointed at the extremity, and the legs yellowish 

 brown ; while in adults this feather is rounded at the tip, and the legs are slate- 

 colour. In the south-eastern counties of England young females rarely have a 

 well-marked horse-shoe, and in some instances all trace of chestnut is absent. On 

 the other hand, in most examples from other parts, this patch is greatly developed, 



