Lieut. Burgess on the Habits of some Indian Birds. 203 



Family Tetraonid^. 



Genus Tetrao. 

 Subgenus Pterocles. 



Pterocles exustus. Common Whistling Grouse. 



This Grouse is common in the open plains of the Deccan, flying 

 in flocks, and, as Colonel Sykes has remarked, announces its approach 

 by its peculiar and piercing cry. I believe that this Grouse breeds 

 during the greater part of the year. Eggs of this species (I believe) 

 have been brought to me from the month of December to May. 

 The Common Whistling Grouse lays three eggs in a slight hollow on 

 the bare ground, and the colour of the eggs so much assimilates with 

 that of the sandy ground on which they are laid, that it is very 

 difficult to find them. The egg sent is, I believe, the egg of this 

 species. It measures 1 -j^ths of an inch in length, and 1 inch and 

 rather more than -^q^^ in width, and is of a stone colour, thickly 

 spotted and blotched with grey and olive-brown. I have in my 

 collection several eggs of the Sand Grouse, which vary much in 

 their size and markings. 



Pterocles quadricinctus. Painted Whistling Grouse. 



This handsome Grouse frequents the low stony hills so common in 

 the Deccan. It is not nearly so common as the last mentioned. I 

 succeeded in getting two or three pairs, by waiting for them at a 

 piece of water whither they used to come at dusk to drink. This 

 Grouse most probably breeds at the same time and lays the same 

 number of eggs as P. exustus. Many eggs of birds of the sub- 

 genus Pterocles were brought to me by the people in the districts, 

 but as they are not generally very accurate observers, and call both 

 P. exustus and P. quadricinctus by one common name, they could 

 not tell me to which they belonged ; but from my own observations, 

 and the notes of Dr. Jerdon, I beheve the egg sent with this paper 

 is that of P. quadricinctus. Dr. Jerdon says, " I have lately got the 

 eggs of this species, also very similar to the other, but rather smaller, 

 and with the spots fewer and larger." 



Genus Perdix. 

 Perdix picta. 



I met with the Painted Partridge in the grassy valleys near and 

 amongst the Western Ghauts near Nassick, in the thickly planted 

 and rich gardens, and in one of the districts between the Godavery 

 and the Bheema rivers. In the latter district the Shikaries brought 

 me several pairs alive. Its very peculiar cry is heard at a consider- 

 able distance. When out shooting in a valley amongst the Ghauts, 

 I saw one calling when perched on the low stump of a tree. Dr. 

 Jerdon says, " It breeds during the monsoon, lays six or seven eggs 

 of a smoky bluish-white colour, of an oval form, much depressed at 

 the thick end.'* 



