CLO 2

PERDIX HODGSONI.

Thibet Partridge.

Se Mn ag F ae |
Sacfa Hodgsonie, Hodgs. Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., new ser. vol. xxv. p. 165. pl. not numbered

 

Tur Red-legged Partridges having been generically separated from our well-known Grey Partridge (Perdia
cinerea), the latter bird has until now been the only species of the genus known; the discovery, then, of a
second, in the distant and little-explored country of Thibet, will be regarded by ornithologists with especial
interest, and it is with great pleasure that I give a representation of it in the ‘ Birds of Asia.”

For the knowledge of the existence of this fine bird I am indebted to two gentlemen, one—B. H. Hodgson,
Esq.—celebrated for his high scientific attainments, and for the extent to which he has made us acquainted
with the natural history of Nepaul; and the other—Lieut. William J. Smith, of the 75th Regt.—for his
travels and shooting excursions on the high ranges or watershed of North-western India. To the latter
gentleman the credit is due, I believe, of having brought the first specimen to Europe, while Mr. Hodgson
has the merit of priority in naming and publishing a description of the species. A drawing from
Mr. Hodgson, and a unique specimen on loan from Lieut. Smith, reached me almost simultaneously, and
I here beg to record my sense of their kindness.

The colouring of the specimen was considerably paler than the drawing ; this was doubtless due to the
circumstance of its having been killed in the height of the breeding season, when, as is well known, the feathers
become worn and, from long exposure, paler in colour. Mr. Hodgson states that his description was taken
from a female. Lieut. Smith’s bird is now deposited in the British Museum, where in all probability
Mr. Hodgsson’s specimen will also find a resting-place, since it is there that the 10,000 specimens and
drawings, so liberally presented by him to the country, are deposited. If hereafter it should be found that
the bird represented in the drawing 1s distinct from that brought by Lieut. Smith, which, however, I think
will not prove to be the case, I shall have much pleasure in giving it a place in this work. Mr. Hodgson
has made this species the type of a new genus, to which he has given the appellation of Sac¢/a ; but. upon
comparing Lieut. Smith’s bird with a male of our well-known Partridge, I can come to no other conclusion
than that it is of precisely the same form; like that species, it presents no indication of a spur on the tarsus,
while the horse-shoe-shaped mark on the breast, and other markings, are of a similar, but more decided
character ; the generic name of Sacpha must therefore, I fear, sink into a synonym. Mr. Hodgson states
that it is called Szcfa or Sakpha by the natives; but Lieut. Smith tells me that the Chikore, a Red-legged
Partridge (Caccabis Chukar), is also called Sakpha; 1 therefore conclude that it is a term applied to
Partridges generally.

In his account of this species, published in the twenty-fifth volume of the Journal of the Asiatic Society
of Bengal, Mr. Hodgson says :—

“To General Jung Bahadoor, Prime Minister of Nepal, I am indebted for the gift of, sala appears to
also a new type of the Partridge group of birds. The General,

me, decidedly a new species, and probably
but it died at Kathmandu, and he

in his recent military expedition into Thibet, procured the bird alive;
sent me the spoils in very fine condition. ;
“J have taken the liberty of dedicating this handsome species to Mrs. Hodgson, whose accurate anc

tasteful delineations of Himalayan scenery will do much to attract attention to this fine field of scientific

research.

| ies | i ‘hi ns ained in the western province of
«This fine species 1S denominated Sakpha by the Thibetans. It was obte I

My sample is a female, and therefore the peculiar heavy overlying

Tsang. I know nothing of its habits. ae Ve
e so in the male, and resembles in fact that organ In

upper mandible, so marked in this sex, must be mor
Lophophorus, or the Monal.

«The colours are as follows :—
orbital skin reddish, above transversely mat
eloped on the wings, and the chestnut on the flanks,

i ked with black, rufous and
«Bill and legs horn-green ;

chestnut, in frequent bars, the black being more dev ulns ae ae
mierenmdeced: the black nearly disappears, while on the belly it 1s So much developed a

m oY ail-fee -s, full unmarked
ain and almost only colour Neck, above and laterally, and all the lateral ie ee : He

f ‘ k 27 nroat trom sap,
chestnut ; cheeks, throat and breast luteous or albescent-buff ; a black zone oe the thr I

6 In con elu ie | ay remark that the . . ‘t, ‘ ° . | ic |

ird bas much of the char

greatly resembles the
expert will at once detect.”
To this statement Mr. Blyth appends the remark,

and I might ask, is not the overlapping of the bill, so stro

rOX1 1 erdix cinerea
«Jt most nearly approximates 1p type to P :

ngly pointed out by Mr. Hodgson, due to the
5D ! Py