324 a hand-book of the management of animals 



Treatment in sickness. 



Partridges suffer from almost all the diseases to which pheasants 

 in captivity are subject, and in such cases the same treatment may 

 be tried ; climate much affects the chukar partridges, especially during 

 the rains. An apparently healthy and lively bird becomes dull, leaves 

 off feeding, sits listless with feathers blown out, and is found dead 

 the next morning ; a post-mortem examination shows nothing particular 

 to account for the death. Abnormal and misshapen growths of beaks 

 and nails have been met with in partridges, the result, in most cases, 

 of the unnatural conditions in which they are condemned to live in 

 captivity ; constant pecking at hard things, and scratching amongst 

 leaves and pebbles in search of food has the natural effect of wearing 

 off the beak and nail in a wild state ; while the ease and regularity 

 with which they obtain food in captivity has often an opposite effect. 

 Tubercular diseases of the lungs and liver are also common. 



Observations on the habits of Partridges. 



Partridges are ground birds, though some of them, such as the 

 F. pictus, occasionally roost on shrubs or low perches, probably for 

 concealment ; the chukar partridge is, however, an exception : it general- 

 ly roosts high. Most of them keep to the corners of the aviaries, hidden 

 away behind shrubs or underneath the wooden stages for plants, 

 sallying forth every now and then in search of food or for amusement ; 

 older birds are bolder and may generally be seen treading the floor 

 of the house in company with other species. New arrivals are very 

 timid, and some of them so stupid that, in spite of opportunity for 

 concealment, they persist in hugging the sides of the cage, close to the 

 wire or a white wall, to the great injury of their breast feathers and 

 head. In aviaries thickly sprinkled with sand or dry earth the tame 

 partridges make hollows by scraping them, and there enjoy dust-baths ; 

 they lie on their breasts, leaning now on one side and then on another 

 and exposing the wings alternately — their enjoyment is complete if 

 the place is sunny. The black partridge is very noisy during the 

 spring, which corresponds with its breeding season, and calls loud 

 and incessantly in the morning, at midday, and sometimes even at 

 night ; the painted partridge has a pleasant chirping note ; the chukar 

 is another noisy bird; its call-note is fully described by Hume. The 

 chukar partridges are more quarrelsome and pugnacious than the other 



(351) THE HIMALAYAN MONAUL. 

 (LOPHOPHOKUS IMPEYANUS— {Lath.) ) 



Description. — "Male, head with the crest and throat bright me- 

 tallic green; back of the neck brillant iridescent purple, passing into 

 bronzy green, and all with a golden gloss ; upper part of the back and 

 wing coverts, rump, and upper tail coverts, richly glossed with purple 

 and green, the latter colour prevailing on the wings and furthest tail- 

 coverts, and the purple on the back and rump ; middle of the back white ; 

 quills black; tail cinnamon rufous; the whole lower surface black, 



