GREEK PARTRIDGE. 151 



The habit above mentioned by Lord Lilford, of frequenting stony 

 and rocky places, is doubtless the reason why Meyer thought it 

 right to alter the name of this bird, from that which it had possessed 

 for centuries, to that of Perdix saxatilis, a most uncalled-for and 

 unjustifiable innovation. 



Modern systeraatists have separated this bird, with the "Eed-legged 

 Partridge" and others from Perdix, and placed them in the genus 

 CaccaUs, instituted for them by Kaup in 1829. Gray, in his 

 ''Hand List," places no less than four sub-families, including the 

 Quails and one hundred and fifteen species, between the Grey Par- 

 tridge and the well-known "Frenchman" of our manors. Its 

 af&nities are certainly more with the Tetrao-gallince than with the 

 Perdicidce, and I have therefore adopted Kaup's generic name. 



The Greek Partridge scrapes a hole near a rock or stone, which it 

 fills with stalks and leaves, and in this it lays from ten to twenty 

 eggs, which are somewhat larger than those of P. rubra. The shell 

 is hard and shining, and is either unspotted pale yellow, or brownish 

 yellow with violet brown dots and spots, according to Badeker. The 

 shape of the e^^ is oval. Nidification commences in May, and the 

 female sits twenty-three days. 



The adult male has all the upper plumage dove-coloured grey, 

 with a beautiful shade of purplish glossy pink on the scapularies and 

 sides of the chest. The primaries are of a rich brown, with a light 

 brown patch near the end of the quill on the third to the ninth 

 inclusive, gradually getting smaller; the second, third, fourth, and 

 fifth primaries are about equal, and the longest in the wing. Head, 

 throat, and chest have been described in the specific diagnosis. 

 Centre of the abdomen jDresents a conical surface of rich fawn- 

 colour, flanked above on each side by beautifully-marked feathers 

 of a pure dove-coloured grey, with a bar of light fawn-colour 

 between two other transverse bars of rich umber brown, at the end 

 of each feather: these latter markings being broader on the sides of 

 the abdomen, and narrower on the flanks proper. Under tail coverts 

 russet; tail feathers rich dark russet. The margin of the eyes, iris, 

 and beak, a beautiful red; legs and feet same colour, but paler; 

 bottom of the feet dirty yellow; the tarsus of the male is furnished 

 with a well-developed, but obtuse spur, situated about the middle. 



The female resembles the male, but is smaller and without spurs; 

 the grey is less lively; there is less white on the throat; and the 

 black band and the markings on the flanks are smaller. 



The young after the first moult are more grey, and less shaded 

 with pink above, and are pencilled and spotted irregularly with 

 brown and whitish. 



