THE (iAME BIRDS OF INDIA. 23 



The bill is in the adult, more or less of it, black, the upper mandible 

 often yellowish at the base, and the lower mandible also pale 

 horny, Imt in younger birds the upper mandible is horny or greenish 

 brown, and the lower mandible yellow. The irides of the adult are 

 yellow or reddish orange, occasionally bright red, in younger birds 

 yellowish bi'own." — (Hiinie.) 



Finn says that the legs of males in full vigour are a salmon red, 

 and it appears that they are brighter and more red during the 

 breeding season than at other times. The comb, bare face and 

 wattles are crimson, brightest during the breeding season. 



Measurements. — " Length 28-0 to 32-0 ; expanse 27*0 to 31-0; 

 wing 9'35 to 9"65 ; tail fi-om vent 14-0 to 16-0; tarsus 2-85 to 

 3-0; bill from gape 1-28 to 1-3; weight 1 lb. 10 ozs. to 2 lb. 

 8 ozs.; length of spur 1-3 to 1-75 inch." — (Hume.) 



The measurements of the birds which have passed through my 

 hands somewhat exceed the above, two cocks having had a wing of 

 full 10 inches (254 mm.) and one or two others nearly approaching 

 it. I have also seen one bird with a tail of 18 inches. 



Youmj male. — Like the female, but much more rufous and more 

 boldly barred and blotched. 



Young male on moulting from first plumage and before acquiring 

 hackles has the whole upper plumage black, the feathers grey edged 

 and with white shaft lines ; the wings and tails are like the female, 

 but much darker, the underparts are like the adult but without the 

 rufous on the flank and belly feathers. The median coverts and 

 the scapulars where waxj- yellow and spatulate in the adult are 

 marked with rufous in the young bird, and a few of the feather 

 shafts are already somewhat flattened and spatulate. 



Colours of soft parts. — Legs dull waxy yellow, or horny 

 yellow, never with an}- reddish tinge ; irides brown or yellowish 

 brown ; bill horny, the culmen darker and the base of the upper 

 and whole of the lower yellowish horn}'. The spurs are generally 

 short and blunt, not exceeding 12 mm. in length. 



The rudimentary comb and wattles are dull crimson red, but the 

 face is almost as bright a crimson as in the adult. 



The adult cock has a semi-moult during the rains, June to August, 

 and loses his long neck hackles, and the long central tail feathers, 

 the former being replaced by short feathers of dull brown black 

 without the terminal sealing-wax spots of yellow. 



Adult female. — Upper part of the head dull pale brown, rufes- 

 cent on the forehead and the feathers faintly white centred ; neck 

 golden brown, feathers white shafted and with brown bands on 

 each w^eb which increase in size on the mantle. Whole upper 

 plumage, wing coverts and secondaries finely vermiculated pale 

 sandy brown and dull black ;. tail dull rufous black mottled with 

 rufous on the central feathers at the edges. 



