TTTMALAYAN SNOW-COCK. 63 



it forms a collar round the lower part of the throat ; beneath this 

 the breast plumes are somewhat scale-like, the upper ones greyish 

 with a black lunule, the lower ones whitish; the rest of the lower 

 surface is grey, minutely freckled with brown, pale on the flanks, 

 and with a double broad dash of chesnut on each feather; vent and 

 under tail-coverts white; thigh-coverts dark grey. 



Bill pale horny ; naked patch behind the eye yellow ; irides 

 dark brown ; legs yellowish red. Length 29 inches ; extent 40 ; 

 wing 13; tail 8 ; tarsus 3. Weight 6 J lbs. 



The females are somewhat smaller, 24 inches long; wing 12; 

 tail 7. 



This fine bird is found throughout all the Western portion, at all 

 events, of the Himalayan range, as far as Nepal, but it is not certain 

 if it extends eastwards into Sikim and Bootan. It is also found 

 across the higher ranges in Chinese Tartary and Thibet. It is pro- 

 bably the species observed in Cashmere by Vigne, who states that 

 it inhabits the* Snowy Punjab on both sides of the valley, but 

 more common on the Thibet side. ' These fine birds,' says Hutton, 

 ■' are common in the Hazara mountains, and are called Kauk-i-durra 

 or the 'Partridge of the Ghats' by the Affghans, and they are some- 

 times sold in the markets of Cabool and Candahar. They rise in 

 coveys of from ten to twenty, and usually have a sentry perched 

 on some neighbouring rock, to give warning of danger by his 

 low and musical whistle. They are difficult birds to shoot. I 

 found them in patches of the so called Tartaric Furze.' Captain 

 Boys states that it is strong on the wing, and that its flights are 

 very protracted. Its note, he says, ' resembles that of a Dipper 

 (Cinclus), finishing with the cluck of a Chukor. During flight it 

 emits a shrill whistle somewhat similar to that of the Monaul.' 



" It is confined," says Mountaineer, " exclusively to the snowy 

 ranges, or the large spurs jutting from them which are elevated 

 above the limits of forest, but is driven by the snows of winter 

 to perform one, and in some places, two annual migrations to the 

 middle regions ; in summer they are only seen near the limits 

 of vegetation. In Koonour (Kunawur) they are common at all 

 seasons from Cheenee upwards, but on the Gangetic hills, from 

 June till August, however much a person wanders about on the 



