428 TBTEAONID^. 



about 8000 or 9000 feet and breeds early. I procured a nestling 

 about three days old on 28th May. Six eggs (which were hatched 

 two days afterwards under a hen) were brought in the last weels; 

 in June." 



Dr. Scully records five eggs taken on the 28th April at 10,000 feet. 



In shape the eggs are long, nearly perfect ovals. The shell is 

 moderately fine and glossy, showing everywhere minute pitted 

 pores. The ground is a paler or da,rker, more or less olive, more 

 or less brown, stone-colour, more or less thinly speckled and spotted 

 and at times blotched (though the blotches are never large, rarely 

 more than 0'15 in diameter) with brownish red, pale chestnut, 

 reddish, purplish, or almost umber-brown. 



In size, twenty-five eggs measure from 2'5 to 2-8 in length and 

 from 1'75 to 1'98 in breadth ; but their average is 2-72 by 1-85. 



Lerwa nivicola, Hodgs. Tlie Snow-Partridge. 



Lerwa nivicola, Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 5.55; Hume, Hough 

 Draft N. 8f E. no. 817. 



I need not apologize for never having seen an egg of the Snow- 

 Partridge, when even Mr. Prederic Wilson, who has been amongst 

 them for nearly thirty years, has never yet seen one, — nay, has 

 been unable to findj even amongst the shepherds who see the birds 

 daily during the breeding-season, any one who has seen a nest. 



He writes to me from Grurhwal : — " Of the Snow-Partridge I 

 have failed to get eggs. It breeds on the high ridges jutting from 

 the snow at elevations of from 12,000 to 15,000 feet, where the 

 ground is tolerably broken and roughish, neither very rocky nor 

 on what we call ' slopes.' The hills between the head-waters of the 

 Ganges and Jumna, and Tonse, are favourite breeding-grounds. 

 The chicks have first been observed about the 20th of June. I 

 have often come across them and been amused with the parent 

 birds, both of which keep with the brood, counterfeiting lameness 

 to entice an intruder away. This they do, I think, better than 

 any Partridge I know, all but letting one catch hold of them. I 

 have tried hard the last two months for the nest and eggs, and it 

 would be difficult to decide whether I am more surprised or dis- 

 appointed at the failure. Knowing so well where they constantly 

 bred, I anticipated no difficulty whatever in procuring as many 

 eggs as I cared for, but a lot of men, out constantly from 15th 

 May to end of June, have been unsuccessful." 



Francolinus vulgaris. The Black Partridge. 



Prancolinus vulgaris {Sieph), Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 658 : Kume, Rmiqh 

 Draft N. Sr K no. 818. 



The Black Partridge or Common Prancolin breeds in suitable 

 localities throughout India Proper (excluding Burma) north of an 

 imaginary line drawn from the Eunu of Cutch to Gwalior aud 



