284 Birds in Sanskrit Literature and a proper reading of the verse¹ gives the three names as (1) fafafe (2) वृत्त तित्तिरि, the great fighter (यश्च पक्षिषु मतोऽधिपमल्लो) and (3) गौरतितिरि and of these the first two are said to be of equal value with the third for purposes of augury. Now, i.e., Te is a kind of grass or water reed (r-M.W.) and the name qafafefe therefore points to the Swamp Partridge which keeps to and breeds in elephant grass, "nal", etc. either close alongside some swamp or water-course... (F.B.I 2nd ed.). 11. The Himalayan Snow-Cock is a huge Partridge with a variegated plumage of white, buff, black and chestnut. It is 28 inches long and often. weighs upto six pounds, i.e. four times as much as the Common Grey Partridge or afs. It is thus not only the largest Partridge known but its flesh also is one of the best for the table' and far superior to that of the Grey and Black Partridges. It thus appears to be afes (fafafe) of the lexicons for afes means 'the largest or best' and the Snow-Cock is both. In the following synonymy:- वरिष्ठस्तु तित्तिरौ । वरिष्ठं मरिचे ताम्रे वरोरुतमयोरपि ।।" "4 afes is clearly a descriptive epithet for the best or largest Partridge, the best kind of pepper and the best amongst the metals, viz. copper. The Napali name for the bird is 4 or a which like Hindi ator for the 'was- herman' are perhaps corruptions from af. In Kashmir it is known as which is the same as gw, described as a bird with variegated plumage:- "चित्रवर्णस्तु ककुभो" – कल्पद्रुकोश The name is certainly for a kind of Partridge and probably belongs to the Snow-Cock as the lexicon gives it with other names for Partridges. also means 'lofty or excellent' and is quite in line with afes for the bird. is included with the Quail, Grouse, Grey Partridge and other birds in a medical formula for elephants in sickness by पालकाप्य in हस्त्यायुर्वेद. 12. The Snow-Partridge is known as far in Hindi, which is from Sanskrit , an adnoun for the Grey Partridge of the Plains. This name indicates a dry region more or less poor in trees, and it is quite under- standable that two different birds of the Partridge family inhabiting dry territory, one in the plains and the other above the snow-line in the Himalayas, should share a common name. Another Hindi name for it is तेर तीतर, probably from तेजल तित्तिर (तेजल-तेवर-तेर '?), a synonym for कपिञ्जल in the af and, therefore, of arg also. g is 'fire and brightness' and the name refers to the bright red bill and feet of the Snow-Partridge (at anfa- arorer:). D. QUAILS & BUSTARD-QUAILS. 1. Science recognizes two kinds of Quails, viz., (i) true or four-toed Quails belonging to the Order Gallinae, and (ii) the three-toed Bustard Quails, 1. Quoted under Art. 54. Peafowls, Junglefowls, Pheasants, and Quails placed in the Order Hemipodii, but as there is a general similarity of appearance common to both they have been distinguished and named separately in Sanskrit in accordance with their size and habits. and divide the true Quails into three varieties, viz., वर्तक, बर्तिका and वर्तीर or वर्तीरिक, and place the Bustard Quails in a single group as a (fr. w small) since they are the "most diminutive of the game-birds". This point is made clear in the कल्पद्वकोश :- "तस्मिंल्लघुतरे पुंसि लवी लावो लवः पुनः ।” 285 The name वर्तक has variants like वार्ताक, वार्तक etc., and वर्तिका is similarly synony- mous with वर्तका, वार्तिका, etc. Owing to this confused spelling mistakes have crept into some printed texts of the above two Samhitas. All the names seem however to be derived from root and probably refer to the quick running movement of these plump little, almost tailless, birds on the ground like a rolling ball. 2. The largest in the series of true Quails is the Common or Grey Quail (about 8") and next to it are the Black-breasted or Rain Quail (about 7") and the Blue-breasted Quail (5.5"). The first is the ad and the Mother two are का of चरक as explained by चक्रपाणिदत :--- अन्यथा स्त्रीत्वेन वर्तकाद् वर्तिकाया "वर्तिका स्वल्पप्रमाणजात्यन्तरमेव लाघवं स्यात् । "2 It is thus clear that the feminine afrer has been deliberately applied to the smaller Quails. डल्हण also holds वर्तक and वर्तिका to be different species, "वर्तिकावर्तकतभेदो". अमरकोश has वर्तक and वर्तिका for different birds in the list of thirteen individual names for as many kinds of birds. भावप्रकाश and अष्टाङ्गहृदय also regarded the two as different. If the Grey Quail is a, the other two are star a (fr. Telugu fear small) in Hindi. 3. The equations “फालखेलागरुयोधी" and "वर्तिका विष्णुलिङ्गी स्यात्" of विकाण्डशेष give merely descriptive epithets and if dis 'a bird that favours culti- vated fields' it would apply to the Grey Quail which always prefers wheat and barley fields to grass or jungle. It also fights like others of the group with its wings and at would thus apply to all fighting Quails (see Art. 27 for a further discussion of this equation). farfar (having the sectarian mark of a dra) probably refers to the buff coronal streak and supercilia common to these birds. The equations are therefore not specific for any particular bird or birds in the Quail group. 4. The Bush-Quails (6-7") "resemble Quails in size, but differ widely from them, and, to some extent, agree better with the Partridges in struc- ture and habits. ..armed in the males with a blunt tubercular spur" (Oates). They are great fighters and fight even with greater rancour and clamour than the Grey Partridge (Hume and Marshall). It is to be noted 1. Based upon the rule "स्त्रीस्यात्काचिन्मणाल्यादिविवक्षापचये यदि"अमर 3.5.7.
