THE SEESEE. 47 



Tastes differ. I have found them but poor eating, far 

 inferior to a good, fat, middle range Chukor of the year. 



Mr. Blanford tells us, on the strength of his own and Major 

 St. John's experience, that " the Tihii is found everywhere in 

 Persia, except in the forest regions, from sea level to an eleva- 

 tion of at least 7,000 feet in Southern, and not much less in 

 Northern, Persia. They keep much to low hills and stony 

 ravines about the bases of hill ranges. During the spring 

 and summer they are found in pairs or singly ; in the winter 

 they are occasionally to be met with in small coveys, but by no 

 means so frequently as Caccabis ; nor do they collect, as far as 

 my observations extend, in equal numbers. They may usually 

 be seen walking quietly up stony hill sides, not running so 

 swiftly as most Partridges, nor caring much for concealment ; 

 indeed, when they wish to hide, it is sufficient for them to 

 remain still, for their colour so closely resembles that of the 

 sand and stones around that they are most difficult to detect. 

 When they rise, it is much like a Quail, with a rather quick 

 flight, and a whistle uttered as they start. Their ordinary call 

 is a double note repeated several times. They are excellent 

 eating, far superior to the dry Caccabis, and only second, if they 

 are second, to the Francolin." 



Again, Mr. Young writes to me : — 



" I have never shot this bird in India, but have often killed 

 it in Persia. It frequents grassy and rocky ground. I found 

 it in great numbers on the mountains of Arjend, North-west of 

 Sultaniah, very often in company with the Chukor. It also 

 frequents old ruins, and the ruins of Rhe (Rhages), near Tehran 

 used, 20 years ago, to be a very favourite locality." 



Both sexes are equally devoid of spurs, and I have never 

 heard even the males accused of being at all pugilistic. I 

 have shot many in March and April, but I have never seen 

 the males fighting, as one so often does those of other game 

 birds. 



TOWARDS THE end of March and early in April they may 

 be seen love-making, and towards the latter portion of April 

 they begin to lay, hatching off as a rule some time in May, 

 though I have found fresh eggs on the 1st June. 



The nest is at best very slight, a little dry grass curled into 

 a whisp, and generally seems to be only represented by a few 

 blades of grass laid in a depression scraped by the birds. It is 

 placed at times under some thick stunted bush or overhanging 

 rock ; more often in the midst of loose stones ; occasionally 

 in one of the scanty tufts of grass that here and there dot these 

 bare hills. They breed at all elevations, from the level of the 

 plains to at least 4,000 feet. Twelve is the largest number of 

 eggs that I have seen in any nest, but many more are said to be 

 at times found. 



