7G GAME BIRDS OF INDIA. 



the midst of thin forest jungle. It chiefly occurs in pairs, now 

 and then several, not far from each other. Early in the morning, 

 the cock-bird may be heard uttering his peculiar guttural 

 call or broken crow, Chee-kee-kerray — Chee-kee-kerray, which 

 can be heard a very long way off, though by no means loud, and is 

 answered on all sides. On approaching the spot whence the sound 

 proceeds, if carefully looked for, he may be seen seated on 

 the stump of a tree, or a thick bush, or an ant-hill or other elevated 

 spot ; but when he finds himself discovered, he slinks down, 

 and runs off in a way that puzzles dogs much. 



The female breeds from June to August, laying seven or eight 

 eggs of a creamy or smoky white, generally near the shelter of some 

 bush. " The poults, " remarks a writer in the Bengal Sporting 

 Revieiv, "begin to call soon and chirrup like Crickets." When the 

 grass is not too high, the Painted Partridge affords very fair 

 shooting with a steady pointer, as also in the wheat fields in 

 November and December, when the birds have scattered. I have 

 seen this bird perch on a low tree, but very rarely, and only 

 when disturbed by a dog ; certainly not so commonly as is implied 

 by a writer in the Bengal Sporting Magazine for 1841. This 

 Partridge is very fair eating, especially when kept long enough 

 and eaten cold. 



Francolinus Phayrei, Blyth, (if distinct from F. pi?itadeus) is 

 common in all upper Burmah as at Thyet-Myo, and has a very 

 similar call to the Painted Partridge, but is more given to frequent 

 grassy spots among jungle. Tetrao pintadens, Scopoli, ( perlatus, 

 Temra.) from China, has been separated by Eeichenbach as 

 Margaroperdix, but on what grounds it would be difficult to say. 



2nd. — Rock or Sand Partridges. 

 Gen. Caccabis, Kaup. 

 Syn. Perdix, Bonap. — Chaciira, Hodgson, postea Pyctes. 

 Char. — Bill somewhat lengthened, stout, red ; tarsi of male 

 with a blunt spur, red ; tail of twelve or fourteen feathers, 

 not quite concealed by the upper tail-coverts ; a small nude patch 

 behind the eye ; plumage not mottled. 



The Bed-legged Partridges form a well marked group, spread 

 over the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, Western and 



