1856.] On a new Perdicine bird from Tibet. 165 



On a new Perdicine bird from Tibet. — By B. H. Hodgson, Esq. 



To General Jung Bahadoor, prime minister of Nepal, I am indebted 

 for the gift of a fine sample, of what appears to me decidedly a new 

 species, and probably also a new type, of the partridge group of 

 birds. The General in his recent military expedition into Tibet 

 procured the bird alive. But it died at Kathmandu and he sent 

 me the spoils, in very fine condition. 

 Perdicinse. 

 Genus Sacfa mihi. 

 Sakpha of the Tibetans. 

 S. Hodgsonise* mihi. 



The essential characters of the genus or subgenus are as follows : 



Bill, strong with a heavy overlying upper mandible, scarped along 

 the cutting edges. Nares subvertical and opening towards the 

 head. "Wings and tail longer, and less bowed and gradated, and 

 stronger than in Perdix ; but not so long or acuminate as in Lerva, 

 and about equal to Prancolinus. 



"Wings with 3-4-5, quills longest and nearly equal, 1-2 not much 

 gradated : 1st, only ^ inch less than the longest. 



Tail 16, rounded, firm. 



Tarsi moderate, equal to the longest toe and nail, nude, biscaled 

 in front, no spur ? 



Lateral toes subequal and furnished with the usual basal membrane. 

 Nails blunt, scooped inferiorly and having a salient margin all round. 

 Orbits subnude, as in Arboricola. 



This fine species is denominated Sakpha by the Tibetans. It was 

 obtained in the western part of the province of Tsang. I 

 know nothing of its habits. My sample is a female and therefore 

 the peculiar character of the bill, in this sex very marked, must be 

 more so in the males, and resembles, in fact, that organ in Lopho- 

 phorus, or the monal. For the same reason, that is, my sample 

 being a female, I am doubtful as to the presence or absence of 



* I take the liberty of dedicating this handsome species to Mrs. Hodgson, whose 

 accurate and tasteful delineations of Himalayan scenery will do much to attract 

 attention to this fine field for scientific research, 



