36 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXV. 



the contrast between the different eggs in the same clutch is veiy 

 striking. 



The texture of the eggs is similar to that of the domestic fowl's 

 egg, and varies to about the same extent. In some it is quite 

 smooth and highly glossed, in others, just as hard and glossy, the 

 whole surface appears to be minutely pitted with tiny pores, and in 

 nearly every such case the pores contain the dark coloriring pig- 

 ment which gives the freckled appearance. 



In shape they are remarkably constant, being broad short ovals, 

 the smaller end differing but little from the larger. 1 have two 

 eggs which are exceptionally long and narrow, and have seen one 

 other which had the smaller end somewhat compressed. 



They vary in length between 1-65" (41-9mm.) and 1-95" 

 (49-5 mm.) and in breadth between 1-27" (32-2mm.) and 1-57" 

 (39-8 mm.), whilst the average of 28 eggs is 1-82" (46* 2mm.) 

 xl-39" (o5-3mm.) 



The cock is apparently polygamous, though there is no very 

 decided proof one wa}^ or the other. At all events, no one has yet 

 discovered him taking an interest in his chicks, a trait which has 

 been observed in the Grey Jungle-cock. 



The affection between hen and her chicks and vice versa has, 

 however, been more than once commented on, and Legge notes how 

 he once shot a hen whose half-grown chicks ran backwards and 

 forwards about her where she fell uritil he had come up quite to 

 them. The young would seem to remain with the hen until the 

 succeeding breeding season, although the cock birds again mingle 

 with the hens as soon as their duties of rearing their young are 

 completed. 



General kahits. — On the whole the Ceylon Jungle-fowl appears to 

 be a bird of the drier parts of the Island, being excessively com- 

 mon in the maritime portion of the south-east coast in the dense 

 Euphorbia Jungles which are there found in long stretches. It is 

 probably resident wherever found, but it possibly only wanders into 

 the highest hills during certain seasons of the year. Legge obser- 

 ves : — 



" It is resident and breeds commonly up to about 6,000 feet. 

 " On the Nuvara-Eliya Plateau and up on the Morton Plains 

 ■ " it is very abundant during the north-east monsoon, coming 

 " up from lower down on the hills, and probably to some 

 " extent from the low country, to feed on the berries of the 

 " nilloo. It is probable that many remain throughoiTt the 

 " year in these uplands ; but, as I have only visited the Horton 

 " Plains during the cool season I am unable to say if it is 

 " found in that locality to any extent during the wet season." 



The Ceylon Jungle-fowl seems to be found in all sorts of jungle, 

 fi'om the mafjnificent tree forest which covers the sides of the hills 



