IN JERDON OR STRAY FEATHERS. 433 



" Perdicinae. 



Genus Sacfa mihi. 



Sakpha of the Tibetans. 



S. hodgsouise, mihi. 



" The essential characters of the genus or sub-genus are as 

 follows : — Bill strong, with a heavy overlying upper mandible, 

 scarped along the cutting edges. Nares subvertical and opening 

 towards the head ; wings and tail longer, and less bowed 

 and gradated, and stronger than in Perdix ; but not so long 

 or acuminate as in Lerwa, aud about equal to Francolinus. 



11 Wings with 3, 4, 5, quills longest and nearly equal, 1 , 2 not 

 much gradated, 1st only ^ inch less than the longest. 



"Tail 16, rounded, firm. 



" Tarsi moderate, equal to the longest toe and nail ; nude, 

 biscaled in front, no spur ? 



" Lateral toes sub-equal and furnished with the usual basal 

 membrane ; nails blunt, scooped inferiorly and having a salient 

 margin all round. 



ft Orbits subnude, as in Arboricola. 



"This fine species is denominated Sahphahy the Thibetans. It 

 was obtained in the western part of the province of Tsano-. 

 I know nothing of its habits. My sample is a female, 

 and therefore the peculiar character of the bill, in this sex 

 very marked, must be more so in the males, and resembles, 

 in fact, that organ in Lophophorus, or the monal. For the 

 same reason, that is, my sample being a female, I am doubt- 

 ful as to the presence or absence of the spur on the legs, but it 

 is probably absent or but slightly developed. 



" The other members have been sufficiently described in the 

 generic character. 



" The colours are as follows : — 



" Bill and legs horn green ; orbital skin reddish ; above 

 transversely marked with black, rufous and chestnut in fre- 

 quent bars, the black being more developed on the wino-s, and 

 the chestnut on the flanks, where indeed the black nearly dis- 

 appears, while on the belly it is so much developed as to 

 constitute the main and almost only colour ; neck, above and 

 laterally, and all the lateral tail-feathers, full unmarked 

 chestnut ; cheeks, throat and breast, luteous or albescent buff. 

 A black zoue round the throat from the cap, and a black 

 patch below the eye. 



" The size is as follows : — 



" Tip of bill to tip of tail, 13-0 ; expanse of wings, 18'0; 

 a closed wing, 6*12; bill to gape, 0'87 ; bill to brow, 075; 

 tail, 4*0; tarsi, 1*75; central toe and nail, 1*5 : weight 

 lib. 



