MOUNTAIN PARTRIDGE. 



345 



Varictc de la Perdrix grise. Temm. Pig. et Gall. 3. 398. — Temm, 



Man. d'Orni. p. 309. 

 Mountain Partridge. Lath. Gen. Syn. 4. 705. 10. 



This bird is ten inches and three quarters in 

 length : the beak is grey : the head, throat, and 

 hind part of the neck, are reddish buff : the upper 

 part of the body and wings are chesnut, the edges 

 of the feathers brownish, and the back and sca- 

 pulars are varied with grey : the fore-part of the 

 neck, the breast, the upper part of the belly, the 

 sides, and the under tail-coverts, are pale chesnut: 

 the lower belly, the vent, and the thighs, are pale 

 buff: the tail consists of twenty feathers, the six 

 middle of which are chesnut-brown, with grey 

 tips ; .the outer seven on each side pale chesnut : 

 legs greyish brown. 



Much diversity of opinion prevails respecting 

 this species. Brisson describes it as distinct ; but 

 Temminck asserts that it is only a variety of the 

 common Partridge. I am inclined to Brisson's 

 opinion from the circumstance of its inhabiting 

 mountainous situations, and from never having 

 seen a specimen captured in this country (where 

 the common Partridge is extremely abundant) that 

 would agree with the above description : it dis- 

 agrees with the last-mentioned bird in many re- 

 spects, especially in its small size, and in having 

 twenty feathers in the tail. Said to frequent the 

 mountainous parts on the continent. 



