PERDIX.
Tail of 16-18 feathers ; no tarsal spur ; nest on ground ; eggs olive brown, unspotted.
Perdix perdix perdix (L.). PARTRIDGE. Fr. Perdrix ; Ger. Rebhuhn ; /tai. Starna ; Swear. Rapphona.
6 Above brown, vermiculated and barred with red brown on back and tail coverts, scapulars and wing coverts with white or huff shaft streaks ; head (except crown, which is brown streaked lighter brown) pale cinnamon ; breast grey, vermi culated black and chestnut ; abdomen white ; flank-bars, horse shoe patch on lower breast, and tail feathers (except central pair, which arc buff) chestnut ; tail 18 feathers. Ring round and naked patch behind eye red. Bill greenish grey. Legs and feet bluish grey. Wing 8. 153-163, ? 145-158. Tarsus 42-47. Bill 13-14. ? Horse-shoe mark usually smaller, and sometimes replaced by white.
Isles, Central Europe from S. Sweden to Alps, France south to Cevennes and Auvergne (except Brittany and Normandy), Switzerland, Poland, Austria to W. Rumania, Macedonia and N. Greece.
P. perdix sphagnetorum (Altum). Darker than "perdix," upper breast very dark grey, scapulars and wing coverts almost black with chestnut bars and freckles, flank-bars darker, horse shoe very deep chestnut. Wing 155-16o, ? 152 (H.).
Resident.—N. Holland from Drenthe to N.W. Germany (Meppen) in peat mosses.
P. perdix armoricana Ilartert. Deep rusty brown above, grey colour absent ; upper breast with brownish tinge.
Resident.—Brittany and Normandy.
P. perdix hispaniensis Reichenow. Breast darker grey than in " perdix" ; horse-shoe very deep chestnut.
Resident.—Pyrcnees and N.W. Spain, from Catalonia to Galicia.
P. perdix Italica Hartert. Above lighter and browner than in " perdix" ; upper breast lighter grey. Resident.—I taly.
P. perdix lucida (Altum). Above greyer, less brown than " perdix," intermediate between "perdix" and "robusta." Wing d 160-168 (H.).
Resident.—E. Prussia, Poland, Baltic Provinces to Petrograd and Pskov.
P. perdix robusta Homeyer and Taller& Above much greyer than " perdix" and barring on lower back narrower and darker ; lighter grey on upper breast. Wing j 160-170 (H.).
Resident.—Russia from Ural and Moscow south to Caucasus and E. Rumania ; also W. Siberia.