92 PERDICULA.— MICROPERDIX. 



Subfamily PerdicinjE. Old World Partridges and Quails. 



Cutting edge of lower mandible not serrated. First primary equal to or longer 

 than tenth (two species of FrancoUnus excepted). Tail shorter (usually much 

 shorter) than wing. Sides of head feathered, with or without naked eye-patch. 

 Extreme form of Partridge wing is found in the Snow-Partridge (Lerwa), where 

 first primary is equal to third and but slightly shorter than second (the longest) ; 

 also among Quails (Ooturnix and Synceeus), where first primary is about equal 

 to the third and but slightly less than second, and sometimes the first three 

 primaries are subequal or first the longest. 



(i.) With outer webs of primaries irregularly barred buff. 

 Genus PERDICULA. 



Bill short and thick. Upper plumage buff, barred black with white shaft streaks. 

 Shaft streaks on sides wanting. Lower plumage cross-barred or plain. First 

 primary intermediate between seventh and ninth (fourth longest). Tail of 

 twelve feathers about half length of wing. Males with blunt spurs. Resemble 

 Quails in size, but agree better with Partridges in structure and habits. India. 



52. Perdicula asiatica. The Jungle Bush-Quail. 



Lowa (Hindi) ; Juhar, Manhhoom; Girza-pitta (Telngu) ; Kari lowga, Mysore. 



$ 64" to 7"; 2 to 3 oz. Legs yellow. Bill dusky red. — Male: Chin and 

 throat chestnut. White superciliary stripe from nostril to nape 1^". Upper 

 plumage dark red-brown, bordered black, with black bars and buff shaft streaks. 

 Quills brown with buff spots on outer webs, inner webs plain. Under surface 

 white or grey barred black. — Female : Lower plumage spotless rufous, with white 

 shafts. Superciliary stripe nearly 1" long. India and Kashmir. Five to seven 

 eggs (1-0 X 0-85), cream colour. (J. 826. B. 1357. 0. 21. O.G. i, 153. 

 H. & M. ii. 109.) 



53. Perdicula argoondali. The Red or Rock Bush-Quail. 



Lowa (Hindi); Lawunka (Telngu) ; Kemp lowga, Mysore. 



3' 6 1" to 7"; 2 J to 3 oz. ? 6f". Legs dull red. Bill dark slaty.— ilfaZe .• 

 Head and neck rufous, tipped black. Supercilium from nostril to ear-covert 

 scarcely perceptible. Throat and chin dull red. Above brown, transversely 

 barred and edged black. Breast closely barred black and white. Inner webs 

 of primaries barred like the outer. — Female : rufous. Chin, abdomen, and under 

 tail-coverts whitish. India. Five to seven eggs (1-02 x 0-84), glossy white, 

 tinged buff. 



Genus MICROPERDIX. 



/ioc/)6s = small. 



Allied to Perdicula. Slender bill. Upper plumage brown or grey, spotted 

 black. Lower plumage with round, oval, or cross-shaped black spots. Shaft 

 streaks on sides wanting. First primary equal to the tenth (fourth, fifth, and 

 sixth longest, and subequal). Tail of ten feathers, rather longer than half length 

 of wing. Male wants tarsal tubercle. India, including Sind, Assam, and 

 Manipur. 



