PHASIANID^. 31 



Family PHASIANID^. 



The eggs of the Pheasants and Partridges vary greatly in form 

 and colour. Typically they resemble in shape the egg of the 

 common domestic Fowl, but in some species they are pyriform, and 

 in others of a spheroidal shape. The shell, as a rule, possesses a 

 considerable amount of gloss and is covered with pores or pits which 

 vary in depth and distinctness in proportion to the size of the eggs. 

 When these are small, the pores are nearly obsolete, when large 

 theyare deep and conspicuous. 



Genus TETRAOGALLUS, /. E. Gray. 



The eggs of the species of Snow-Cocks bear a very close 

 resemblance to each other. They are of a regular oval shape aod 

 the shell is moderately fine and glossy. The ground varies from 

 buff to pale olive-brown or stone-colour and this is speckled and 

 spotted, and occasionally blotched, with pale chestnut, purple and 

 umber-brown. 



Tetraogallus tibetanns, Qould, 

 (Plate II. fig. 7.) 



Tetraogallus tibetanus, Hume 8f Marsh. Game Birds Ind.i. p. 275 (1879) ; 

 Grant, Cat. Birds B. M. xxii. p. 104 (1893) ; Oates, Game Birds 

 Ind. i. p. 206 (1898) ; Sharpe, Sand-l. i. p. 22 (1899). 



The single egg of the Tibetan Snow-Cock in the Collection 

 measures 2-4 by 1'7. 



1. 3 miles south of the Pangour Tso, Hume Coll. 



Tibet. 



Tetraogallus altaicus {Qebler). 



(Plate II. fig. 8.) 



Tetraogallus altaicus, Grant, Cat. Birds B. M. xxii. p. 110 (1893) ; 

 Sharpe, Hand-l. i. p. 22 (1899). 



The two eggs of the Altai Snow- Cock in the Collection are of 

 precisely the same size and measure 2*65 by 1-85. 



2. Altai Mountains, 3rd May {C. A. Seebohm CoU. 



Tancri). 



Tetraogallus Mmalayensis {J. E. Gray). 



Tetraogallus himalayensis, Hume ^ Marsh. Game Birds Ind. i. p. 267 

 (1879), iii. App. pi. iii. (1880) ; Biddulph, Ibis, 1881, p. 93; ScuMy, 

 Ibis, 1881, p. 586; Oates ed. Hume, Nests Sf Eggs Ind. B. iii. p. 426 

 (1890) ; Grant, Cat. Birds B. M. xxii. p. 106 (1893) ; Oates, Game 

 Birds Ind. i. p. 201 (1898) ; Sharpe, Handrl. i. p. 22 (1899). 



One egg of the Himalayan Snow-Cook in the Collection is 

 abnormal, the ground being cream-coloured, spotted with pale 

 purple. 



