CHUKOR PARTRIDGE SENT TO MUSEUM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18056, 17 January 1927, Page 7

CHUKOR PARTRIDGE SENT TO MUSEUM.

One of the Chukor partridges recently introduced from India has found its way into Canterbury Museum. It was found dead at Mount Hutt, near Rakaia Gorge. Apparently it was one of a hatch obtained by Mr R. C. Todhunter for his station at Mount SomIt is a female. A fairly large number of eggs were i-« its ovary, and it was in excellent condition, being plump and in good plumage. Its general colour is light buff. It has a slight reddish blush on the back and shoulders, is pale cream under the throat and on the neck, and is striped with cream and dark bars, edged with reddish, on the flanks. A sparrow with an abnormal lower mandible, two inches long and curved downwards, has been added to the foreign birds in the museum. The upper mandible, which is normal, rests in the groove of the malformed one. There is in the museum another sparrow with the lower mandible formed in the same way. Both were males. A whimbrel, a shore bird, which, probably, was blown across the Tasman Sea from Australia, is amongst the new acquisitions. It was found at Ellesmere. A red-tailed tropic bird, brought from Walpole Island by Mr A. M. Wright, is another addition to the collections.