244 



GREEK PARTRIDGE. 



difference. Mr. Blyth, (T. A. S., xviii, p. 53,) states 

 that 'P. Grceca only differs from P. chukar of the 

 Himalayas, Afghanistan, etc., in, having a purely white 

 throat, and in the ferruginous of the ear coverts being 

 less marked.'' According to my experience (having 

 examined many skins) these points, although pretty 

 general, are not universal in the birds killed in 

 Turkey. I have seen several exactly similar in all 

 respects with P. chukar." 



According to this opinion the smaller of the two 

 birds sent me by Mr. Tristram from Crete, is equal 

 to the P. chukar of Gray; and it follows, I think, 

 if this is so, that P. Grceca and P. chukar are one 

 and the same species, for surely we cannot maintain 

 for a moment that the difference of colour in the 

 throat is sufficient to constitute specific difference. Mr. 

 Tristram, however, does not consider that his smaller 

 specimen is sufficiently deep rufous, for he remarks, — 

 "T never saw the white throat from India, or the 

 rufous one from Western Europe. Turkey and Syria 

 are debatable ground held by both varieties." 



I have not been able to get a Swiss skin for com- 

 parison. As Mr. Tristram observes, however, the 

 question is one of "race," or of eastern and western 

 varieties of the same species. M. Bouteille, as quoted 

 by M. Degland, has succeeded in obtaining a hybrid 

 between P. Grceca and P. rubra, the males being more 

 like the former, the females more like the latter. 

 Both had the black collar of the Greek Partridge and 

 the black spots which follow it in the French 

 Partridge, but smaller and less numerous. The feathers 

 on the flanks of the male were more like those of 

 Grceca, in the female more like rubra. 



The Greek Partridge is found, as its name implies, 



