TETRAOGALLUS CASPIUS.
Caspian Snow Partridge.

Tetrao Caspius, Gmel. Edit. of Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 762.—S. G. Gmel. It., tom. iv. p. 67. tab. 10.
Perdia Caspia, Lath. Ind. Orn., tom. ii. p. 655.

Tetrao Caucasica, Pall. Zoog. Ross. Asiat., tom. i. p. 76. pl.

Perdiv (Megaloperdix) Caucasica, Brandt, Bull. Sci. de l’Acad. Imp. de St. Pétersb., vol. viii. p. 190.
Lophophorus Nigel, Jard. and Selb. Hl. Orn., vol. ii. pl. 76.

Caspian Partridge, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 283.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. viii. p. 290.

Keph-e-derra, or Royal Partridge of Persia.

 

VaLUABLE and interesting as are the Gallinaceous birds of India, both as objects of beauty and as supplying
the human race with a great store of nutritious food, there is a group, the Zetraogalli or Snow Partridges,
which, if I mistake not, is destined to play as important a part in the latter respect as any of the Gallinacez
previously known. ‘The great plateau of Asia, particularly the country of Tibet, is yearly becoming more
and more accessible, and surely the time is not far distant when the introduction of some of the species
into the British Islands will be attended with success. I cannot conceive localities better adapted to the
habits of any one of them than the Highlands of Scotland and the hilly districts of Northumberland,
and other northern counties of England ; as an evidence that they will exist in far more unfavourable situa-
tions, | may mention that two individuals lived for several years in the Menagerie of the Zoological Society
of London in the Regent’s Park. Those who visited these Gardens during the years 1852 and 1853 cannot
have failed to notice the fine bird from which the figure in the accompanying Plate was drawn. This noble
specimen, the Aeph-e-derra, or Royal Partridge of Persia, was presented to the Society by R. Stevens, Ksq.,
H.B.M. Consul at Tabreez: on its arrival at the Gardens it was in a bad state, both of health and plumage,
but it speedily recovered, and after the succeeding moult we had an opportunity of seeing the bird in as fine
a state of plumage as if we were viewing it in its native wilds. A female had been previously presented
to the Society (in 1842) by E. W. Bonham, Esq.; this also was from Persia. I regret to say both these
interesting birds are dead ; and I need scarcely add how highly a further donation of living examples from
any one favourably situated for procuring them would be esteemed by the Society, or how important in an
economic point of view would be the introduction of a sufficient number to ensure their naturalization.

There is but little doubt that the present bird is the oldest known species of the genus, for although
Linnzus appears to have been unacquainted with it, it was described as long back as 1788-93 by Gmelin in
the 13th edition of the ‘Systema Nature,” under the name of Zetrao Caspius. By Latham, who states it
inhabits Astrabad, Ghilan and other parts of Persia, it was placed among the true Partridges, genus Perdiz ;
by Pallas it was associated with the Grouse under the name of Tetrao Caucasicus; Messrs. Jardine and
Selby placed it in the genus Lophophorus, and lastly Mr. J. E. Gray instituted for it the separate generic
title of Tetraogallus. Messrs. Jardine and Selby state, that for their knowledge of the species they were
indebted to James Wilson, Esq., so well known for his ‘Illustrations of Zoology,” to whom it had been
transmitted from Persia by Dr. Macneil, the enlightened physician to the English Embassy at that Court,
after whom it was named Mgel/i, and who informed Mr. Wilson that ‘it inbabits the more secluded and
mountainous parts of Persia, where it is esteemed rare even by experienced sportsmen, and is known by the
name of Keph-i-derree, or Mountain Partridge.”

I am indebted to J. H. Gurney, Esq. for having called my attention to the following passage in
Mr. Layard’s “ Discoveries in the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon,”
«A covey of large birds sailed with a rapid swoop, and with the whistling sound peculiar to the Partridge
kind, from an opposite height, and alighted within a few yards of me. They were the Aadk-i-dered, or the
Our-kak-lik, as they are called by the Turks; a gigantic Partridge, almost the size of a small Turkey, only
found in the highest regions of Armenia and Kurdistan.”

The following note has been forwarded to me by Mr. G. R. Gray, which he states is an extract from one

which doubtless refers to this species :—

of the St. Petersburg Transactions :—

“This species builds on the highest summits of the rocky mountains of the Caucasus ; it prefers altoge-
ther the regions of snow, which it never quits; thus, when we desire to acclimatize the young chickens of
this partridge in the plains of Kahetia, they have not survived the spring. It runs on the rocks and the
ledges of precipices with great agility, and rises with a great cry at the least danger, so that the most