238 



broadly margined on each side with fox-red, and externally edged with black; under tail-coverts 

 white ; bill dull yellowish, becoming horn-brown towards the tip ; bare space round the eye yellow ; 

 iris dark brown; legs orange-yellow. Total length about 21 inches, culmen 12, wing 105, tail 7'0, 

 tarsus 2" 25. 



Adult Female (Caucasus) . Resembles the male, but is much duller and paler in colour ; the crown and hind 

 neck are tinged with reddish brown, the latter especially ; the stripe down each side of the neck is 

 reddish brown, not ashy grey ; and the barrings on the lower throat and breast are narrower and less 

 clearly defined. 



Young Male (Caucasus) . Resembles the female ; but the crown, hind neck, sides of the head, and stripe 

 down each side of the neck are dull ashy grey, marked with blackish brown, and to a slight extent 

 with buff. 



Young in down (Caucasus) . Crown, nape, and upper parts generally buffy white, blotched with black ; 

 underparts buffy white, the breast and flanks washed with grey, and a black stripe down each side of 

 the throat, enlarging into a small patch below the eye. 



Obs. Even at the present time but little is known about this species, and specimens are extremely rare in 

 museums. Indeed those in my own collection are the only examples I have seen here ; for there is not 

 one in the British Museum, nor have I, until quite recently, seen one in any private collection. Owing 

 to its rarity and the consequent difficulty in comparing specimens, it has been very generally confused 

 with the Caspian Snow-Partridge. Gould, who figures the latter species in his ' Birds of Asia/ wrongly 

 identifies it with the present species ; and Dr. Bree, who in his letterpress also confuses the Caucasian 

 and Caspian Snow-Partridges, figures in both editions a perfectly distinct Asiatic species {Tetraogallus 

 himalayensis) as the European bird; while Mr. G. R. Gray figures (Gen. of B. iii. pi. cxxix.) Tetrao- 

 gallus altaicus, a very distinct Asiatic bird, under the name of Tetraogallus caucasicus ; and in his letter- 

 press in the same work he unites Tetraogallus caspius, Tetraogallus caucasicus, Tetraogallus altaicus, 

 and Tetraogallus himalayensis — four perfectly distinct species. 



This, the true Caucasian Snow-Partridge, appears to be restricted entirely to the Caucasus range 

 of mountains, and inhabits therefore but a restricted area. It is there found only in the more 

 elevated portions of the mountains, close to the snow-line, and only descends into lower altitudes 

 when driven down by severe weather. Comparatively little has been placed on record respecting 

 the habits of this bird. Motchoulski gives (I. c.) a few short details, which have been translated 

 and inserted in Mr. Gould's ' Birds of Asia ' and in Dr. Bree's ' Birds of Europe ;' but other 

 Russian authors have published very few notes respecting the habits of this magnificent bird. 

 Probably the best account on record is that given in a lecture by Dr. Radde, and printed in 

 the 'Journal fur Ornithologie ' (1873, pp. 2-C), from which I translate the following notes: — 

 " In the mountains, close to the line of continual snow, at an altitude of between 2000 and 3500 

 metres, I made acquaintance with these giant Partridges, respecting whose habits so little is 

 known. The Caucasian Snow-Partridge, discovered by Steven, and very early named caucasicus, 

 is found here in comparatively large numbers ; and the mountaineers all affirm that it lives in 

 peculiar friendship with the Caucasian Ibex. The bird is said to whistle in order to warn the 

 Ibex of the approach of the hunter ; and the Snow-Partridge feeds on the dung of the Ibex ; so 

 that they are in a way dependent on each other. It is, however, probable that they exist on the 



