The South Persian Black Partridge.
Francolinus henrici Bonap., Comp. Rend., xlii, p. 882 (1856) (Sind). Francolinus vulgaris. Blanf. & Oates, iv, p. 135 (part.).
Vernacular names. Kala-tetur or Kala-tetri (Hind.); Taru (Pushta).
Description. - Adult male. Similar to the preceding bird but paler everywhere except the under tail-coverts which are a darker chestnut than in F. f. asiae but with hardly ever any trace of barring.
Colours of soft parts as in the other races.
Measurements. Wing 164 to 175 mm., Persia and Afghanistan-. 148 to 163 mm., Sind and Baluchistan.
Female paler than the female of the Indian Black Partridge.
Measurements. Wing 153 to 160 mm., Persia etc.; 149 mm. (Sind).
Chick in down. Above pale whitish-fawn, head pale fawn with narrow dark centre ; below unmarked creamy-white. The chick is much less like the chick of the previous race than the adults are to one another.
Distribution. South and South-Eastern Persia to Fao and Bagdad. Baluchistan, Afghanistan and Sind. A specimen from Chitral is of this race and probably all birds from the North-West Frontier Province also should be referred to it.
Nidification. In Persia this Partridge breeds during April and May and on the Afghan and Baluchistan frontiers in May and June, making a nest in thin scrub or in the sparse grass bordering rivers and river-beds. The eggs are like those of the other races; twenty-five eggs average 39.2 X 31.8 mm.: maxima 42.2 x 31.2 and 40.1 x 33.4 mm.; minima 31.4 x 29.7 mm.
Habits. Except that this race frequents more dry and arid areas than the last bird, its habits are much the same. In Persia it is said to keep principally to Tamarisk-jungle and the grass growing on the banks of the rivers.
