148 GREEK PABTBIBOE. 



distinguished by its larger size, and by tbe absence of the mottled 

 plumage below the black mark in the neck. The older ornithologists 

 — Gesner, Willughby, and Belloni — acknowledged this affinity by 

 designating Perdix grceca as Perdix major or Rufa major; while 

 Ray, Linnteus, and Albin all referred it to Perdix rufa, the latter 

 even figuring the Red-legged Partridge for this bird. In the present 

 day we do not find ornithologists confounding the two birds, as 

 they are universally considered specifically distinct. There are, 

 however, other varieties or races which are thought by modern 

 naturalists as probably distinct also. Canon Tristram has sent me two 

 skins, one from the Morea, a male, which may be considered 

 typical; and another, a female, a smaller bird with a rufous throat, 

 which was obtained from Crete. But I cannot, after careful ex- 

 amination, find anything which age, or sex, or difference of food 

 might not account for. Canon Tristram says he thinks they represent 

 two distinct species, one inhabiting the hills, the other the plains. . 



Doderlein (op. cit.) says of this bird, "The Greek Partridge arrives 

 accidentally, rarely in the Modenese Apennines. In October, 1853, 

 after a violent storm, an abandoned bird was picked up near Rotetlia, 

 which I was able to acquire and to place in the Museum of the 

 University, under the name of Perdix saxatilis. Some years later two 

 other specimens, either of this bird or P. rubra, were killed in the 

 neighbourhood of Saltino, in the Valley of Secchia, one of which was 

 given to me and the other was eaten. More recently Tonguoli had 

 another, taken upon the hills in the snowy winter of 1870. This 

 species is therefore very rare and accidental in Modena, and only 

 appears after extraordinary atmospherical commotion, coming probably 

 from Liguria, where it is indigenous. On the contrary, this Partridge 

 is very common in Sicily, especially on the steep mountains of Madonie, 

 Petralia, Corleone, Caltagirone, Alcamo, Carini, S. Vito, and Briolo, 

 and all the chains of Iblei, as also in certain valleys and interior 

 plains of the island. In spite of the immense consumption, which takes 

 place in all times and seasons it multiplies and propagates quickly, 

 and in certain localities it is so common as to be sold at a very low 

 price. (Benoit.) In some districts the peasants are said to take the 

 eggs from the nests for domestic purposes. A white variety, with 

 eyes, beak, and feet rosy like this bird, lives among the mountains. 

 According to Salvador! it is probable this bird occurs in Sardinia." 



Salvadori (Fauna d' Italia) writes: — '^'^ Perdix saxatilis differs from 

 the true P. grmca (Brisson,) chulcar, (Gould,) princij)ally by two 

 characters. In the latter the throat is white with a fulvous tint, 

 -especially on the lower part. In the former the throat is entirely 



