File:A history of the birds of Europe, not observed in the British Isles (1862) (14564038808).jpg

Identifier: historyofbirdsof03bree (find matches)
Title: A history of the birds of Europe, not observed in the British Isles
Year: 1862 (1860s)
Authors: Bree, Charles Robert, 1811-1886
Subjects: Birds Birds
Publisher: London, Groombridge and Sons
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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ing the longest; tail large and rounded.Tarsi short and stubby, equal in length to the third toe,broadly shielded with scales; toes united by a slight membrane;the hind toe is short, and does not touch tbe ground; clawsmiddle sized. CAUCASIAN SNOW PARTRIDGE. Tetrao-g alius Caucasians. Tetrao-galius Caucasians, Gkay. Bonaparte. Schlegel. Caspia, Gould. Telrao Caucasicus, Pallas; Zoog., ii, p. 76, INo. 225. Telraogalle da Caucase, Of the Feench. Kauhasisches Alpenhuhn, Of the Germans. Specific Characters.—Upper plumage grey. The feathers of theupper wing coverts and middle of the back broadly bordered withochreous brown on their outer web. The long feathers of theflanks edged on both webs with still darker ochreous brown.Front of the neck marked with the brown horse-shoe, like theGrey Partridge. Length twenty-one inches and a half; carpusto tip eleven inches; tarsus and middle toe and claw each twoinches and a half; beak one inch and a half long, and circum-ference at base two inches.
Text Appearing After Image:
CAUCASIAN SNOW PARTRIDGE. 233 For this species and four or five others known asSnow Partridges or Snow Pheasants, Dr. Gray hasestablished the Genus Tetrao-gallus, signifying that itis intermediate between the Grouse and Pheasant orPartridge. I think, however, that the subject of thepresent notice might have very well stood at the headof the genus Perdix leading us from Phasianus to theFrancolins, and thence to the typical Partridges. As,however, it is the rule among ornithologists to groupbirds of similar structure and habits under a numberof different genera, it is not for me to complain. The Caucasian Snow Partridge inhabits that neutralground, half of which is in Europe, and the other inAsia—the Caucasian Range. As its name implies, itis found there among the wild and desolate mountainswdiich are covered with perpetual snow. It is there-fore difficult of access, and we find very little recordedof its habits or nidification. The Snow Partridge, living on neutral ground, mustof cou

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