62 GAME BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Gen. Tetraogallus, Gray. 



Syn. Megaloperdix, Brandt. — Chourtka, Motsch. — Oreotetmx, 

 Cabanis. 



Char. — Bill longish, stout, broad ; a small naked pateh behind 

 the eye ; wings moderate and somewhat pointed, having the 2nd 

 and 3rd quills the longest ; tail ample, moderate, of eighteen 

 feathers ; tarsi short, stout, with a short blunt spur. Of large 

 size — Sexes alike. 



Until recently but one species was recognised in this fine group, 

 but now four very distinct species have been discriminated, and 

 a fifth indicated. They are birds of large size, as large as a 

 Black-cock, of a light mottled grey colour ; and they frequent 

 the highest spots close to the snows ; from their large size they 

 are often popularly called Snow-pheasants ; but, from their asso- 

 ciation with the birds of this group, perhaps had better be called 

 Snow-cocks. 



18. Tetraogallus Himalayensis, Gray. 



Blyth, Cat. 1487 — Gould, Birds of Asia, pt. V., pi. 2~~ 

 T. nigelli, apud Gray, Hardwicke, 111. Ind. Zool. vol. 2, pi. 46 

 — Lophophorus nigelli, Jard. and Selby, 111. Orn. 3 pi. 141 — 

 Jer-monal in the N. W. Himalayas — Kabak, and Gourkagu in some 

 parts — Huin-wal, in Kumaon — Snow-pheasant, Snow Chukor, and 

 Strath Chukor of sportsmen. 



The Himalayan Snow-cock. 



Descr. — Crown of head, cheeks, and back of neck grey, the rest 

 of the upper parts light ashy-grey, minutely freckled with black, 

 purer ashy on the wings, and tinged with brownish rufous on the 

 back ; each feather of the back, rump, and Aving-coverts, striped 

 with dull buff, more rufous, and inclining to chesnut brown on 

 those of the wings ; primaries white, broadly tipped with dusky 

 freckled grey ; tail reddish on the outer web, minutely freckled 

 with black ; freckled grey on the inner webs ; beneath, the chin 

 and throat are whitish ; a band of chesnut passes from above the 

 eye down the sides of the nape, and another from the angle of the 

 mouth passes down the sides of the neck and meets the first, when 



