100 THE WESTERN BAMBOO PARTRIDGE. 



specimen before me, the tail (which no doubt is somewhat worn) 

 is absolutely uniform, without a trace of these barrings. Again, 

 in some, the lower surface of the tail is dull brown ; in others, 

 it is a distinctly ruddy brown. 



In some specimens the chestnut and black spots at the ends 

 of the coverts, tertiaries, and longer scapulars, are small and 

 inconspicuous, as in the specimen figured. In others, they 

 are very large, and give the bird quite a different appearance. 



Generally, too, some birds are brighter and richer coloured — 

 birds killed in November, for instance ; while others killed in 

 August are much duller. 



A bird of the year has a number of longitudinal buff shaft 

 stripes on the back of the neck and upper back ; and has simi- 

 lar and broader stripes down the middle of the dark subter- 

 minal patches on the tertiaries. 



I think the species will be easily recognized by the plate, but 

 it must be borne in mind that, unfortunately, the specimen 

 figured was rather abnormally coloured. 



THE BAMBOO Partridges are Indo-Chinese ; three other species 

 only are, I believe, as yet known, though doubtless Northern 

 Siam and Tonquin, and possibly Malayana, will furnish other 

 species. Of these three, one, B. sonorivox, is peculiar to the 

 island of Formosa, another, B. thoracicus, is found throughout 

 Southern China from Fokien to Sechuen, but does not extend 

 northwards beyond the valley of the Yang-tse-kiang, while the 

 third, B. hyperythrus y has only recently been described from 

 Borneo by Mr, Sharpe. 



