latter barred with rufous ; the inner surface of the shoulders and wings rusty
ash-grey. The under part of the neck, the breast, and the belly, rusty white
and freely variegated with slightly curved, umber-brown bars. (In specimens of
a certain age the sides, or even the whole of the breast, is rufous, with the bars
narrower and less distinct);—the thighs, the under tail coverts, and the vent
pale rufous, the latter only finely barred with brown. The upper mandible
towards the angle of the mouth, and the whole of the lower towards its base,
greenish yellow; the remainder of both mandibles and the claws blackish
brown; the tarsi, the toes, and the spurs dull yellow. Eyes reddish brown.
F orm.—- F ig u re s le n d e r ; th e h e a d sm all a n d th e n e c k r a th e r lo n g fo r th e
size o f th e b i r d ; bill m o d e ra te ly stro n g , s lig h tly cu rv ed , b ro ad a t th e b a s e
a n d r a th e r n a rrow a t th e p o in t ; fe a th e rs o f fro n t n a rrow a n d r ig i d ; th e
w in g s, w h en folded, e x te n d n e a rly o ver th e first h a lf o f th e ta i l ; th e firs t
q u ill f e a th e r is v e ry small, th e fifth a n d s ix th a re n e a rly o f e q u a l le n g th a n d
lo n g e st, th e fo u rth a n d s e v en th e q u a l an d r a th e r s h o rte r th a n th e la s t tw o ; th e
th ird an d e ig h th o f th e s am e le n g th , b u t n o t q u ite e q u a l to th e fo u rth , an d
only a v e ry little lo n g e r th a n th e s e c o n d : some o f th e te rtia rie s eq u a l in
le n g th to th e lo n g e st p rim a rie s. T a il full a n d s lig h tly ro u n d ed ; ta r s i mo d er
a te ly ro b u s t a n d co a ted b eh in d w ith two rows o f la rg e fla t s c a le s ; th e to e s
a re sh o rt, th e h in d e r o n e v e ry s le n d e r ; e a ch ta r s u s a rm ed w ith a s in g le sp u r,
wh ich is v e ry sh o rt, b lu n t a t th e e x trem ity , la te ra lly com p re ssed , an d
s itu a te d a b o u t tw o lin e s ab o v e th e h in d e r toe.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines.
Length from the tip of the bill to the
extremity of the tail........... 10 0
of the bill from the angle of
“ the mouth............................ 0 10
of the wings when foldecL....... 5 3
of the ta il......................... 2 6
Length of the tarsus ............................ 1 6
of the middle toe ___ 0 9
of the outer toe.... ......... 0 . 6^
- of the inner toe ................. 0 4^
o th e r re sp The female is without spurs to the tarsi; in e c ts sh e e x h ib its a
close resemblance to the male.
The few specimens of this species which we obtained were killed' near to the tropic of
Capricorn, and were found upon the bases and slopes of low stony hills, which were thickly
covered with fine brushwood. Among the brushwood, and between the large stones with
which the surface of the hills was strewed, these partridges principally sought their food ;
and though they occasionally resorted to the plains, they generally manifested a disposition
to retreat to the hills, whenever they were molested on the latter. Having once reached
the localities, which it appeared they considered the best constituted to ensure them safety,
they could not, without much exertion, be driven from them ; and from their holding their
ground with such pertinacity and manifesting such a determination to avoid flight, we lost
several individuals which otherwise would probably have been secured.