219 



TETEAO HLOKOSIEWICZI. 



(GEORGIAN BLACK GROUSE.) 



Tetrao mlokosiewiczi, Taczanowski, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1875, p. 267. 



Figura nulla. 



3 ad. ex toto iiigerrimus vix viridi cseruleo nitens, subcaudalibus concoloribus : subalaribus posticis et axillari- 

 bus niveis : cauda. elongata, incurvata, rectricibus externis quam centrales longioribus : crista simili ei 

 Tetraonis tetricis : remigibus et tarsorum plumis nigro-fuscis. 



2 ad. mari dissimilis, griseo brunneoque subtiliter undulata : abdomine medio atro : cauda, elongata, rectricibus 

 centralibus vix brevioribus. 



Adult Male. Entire plumage glossy black, witb deep bottle-green reflections, even tbe under tail-coverts 

 similarly coloured to tbe rest of tbe plumage ; binder under wing-coverts and axillaries pure white ; 

 tail mucb elongated, at tbe tip bent downwards and slightly outwards, all the feathers on the terminal 

 portion trough-shaped, the outer rectrices about two inches longer than the centre ones; inner portion 

 of the under wing-coverts pure white ; space over the eye covered with a red warty comb, as in Tetrao 

 tetrix; quills and feathers on the tarsus rather browner than the rest of the plumage. Total length 

 about 20 inches, culmen T05, wing 7'9, tail 9 - 0, tarsus 2"25. 



Adult Female. Differs considerably from the female of T. tetrix in coloration ; general coloration greyish, 

 closely vermiculated witb blackish brown and rusty brown, the upper parts being rather more rufous 

 brown, and the under parts rather less rufous ; throat whiter, the markings being wider apart ; quills 

 dark brown, the primaries marbled on the outer web with light brown, and the secondaries rather boldly 

 marked with blackish and light reddish, and tipped with white; tail long, almost square, blackish brown, 

 closely variegated with rufous and sandy yellow ; underparts closely vermiculated with blackish brown 

 on a greyish ground;' centre of the abdomen marked with black; under tail-coverts reddish, broadly 

 barred with blackish, and tipped with white. Culmen l'Oo, wing 7 - 8, tail 6"5, tarsus 2 - 25. 



It is somewhat remarkable that a new and very distinct species of Grouse should exist within 

 the limits of the Western Palsearctic Kegion, and should only quite lately have been discovered. 

 Such is, however, the case ; for the first specimens were sent to Warsaw by Mr. Mlokosiewicz in 

 1875, to Mr. Taczanowski, who sent a description to the Zoological Society of London. Sub- 

 sequently, on my applying to him, Mr. Taczanowski kindly intrusted the types to me to he 

 figured in the present work, and forwarded to me the next specimens received by him from 

 Mr. Mlokosiewicz. 



As may be surmised from the fact that it has remained so long undiscovered, the present 

 species has a very restricted range, being as yet only known to inhabit the Caucasus ; and all the 

 information I can obtain respecting it is embodied in the following notes received from the 

 discoverer of the species, Mr. Mlokosiewicz, through Mr. Taczanowski : — ■ 



" I found this Grouse generally distributed throughout the principal chain of the Caucasus, 



2a 



