THE BIRDS OF THE ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS. G91 



(3), Had been feeding on a long green fruit an inch in length with 

 another inch of stalk attached, 



(4). Same as (2). 



It is curious that all Davison's birds, and 7ione of mine, contained chillies. 



1354. ExcALFACTORiA ciiiNENSis, Linn. Blanf,, Birds, IV, p. 112. 



The Blue-breasted Quail does not seem to have been recorded pre- 

 viously from the islands, but I found it fairly common on one or two small 

 grassy plains on Car Nicobar. As usual, they were very hard to flush in the 

 long grass, and I found the best way of securing specimens was shooting 

 over a rope dragged by two boys. Nicobarese specimens of this quail have 

 the back much suffused with the blue-grey of the bieast, and have the pale 

 haft stripes on the back entirely, or almost entirely, wanting. Dr. Hartert 

 and Mr. Blanford refer themto the Sumatran subspecies, E. lineata. If this 

 species ranges to the islands from Sumatra, it is curious that it should be 

 comparatively common on the northern island of Car Nicobar, while in the 

 central group neither Mr. Hume's party nor I ever met with it. Soft parts 

 and measurements of a pair of Nicobarese specimens, 



(J. Length, 5i ; wing, 2U ; tail, i ; tarsus, ^ ; bill at g., U, at f., §. 



Iris, crimson ; legs, orange ; claws, black ; hill, black, base bluish horny. 



9 . Length, 5f ; wing, 2f ; tail, it ", tarsus, It ; bill at g., ^|, at f. i. 



Iris, brownish-red ; legs, orange ; clatcs, brown ; Bill, dusky bluish. 



Car Nicobare&e '' mul." 



1375, Francolinus pondicerianus, Gm. Blanf., IV, p. 189. 



Indian Grey Partridges were turned out near Aberdeen about ten years 

 ago J though not yet very numerous, they have established themselves well, 

 and one can be sure of flushing a few near Aberdeen and Navy Bay. They 

 breed in May. 



1381. Megapodius nicobariensis, Blyth. Blanf., IV, p. 147 ; " Str. 

 Feath.," II, p. 27G. 



Davison says that the Megapod is found on all the islands of the Nicobar 

 group, appearing to be more numerous on those islands where the soil 

 is somewhat sandy, and consequently the undergrowth less dense, as on 

 Trinkut, Treis, etc. 



I am inclined to think that ou Car Nicobar, on which 1 spent six weeks, 

 and which I worked very thoroughly it does not occur now-a-days, Avhatever 

 it may have done five and twenty years ago. I found no traces of any 

 mounds, and the Nicobarese declared that it was not met with on Car, 

 though it occurs on Batti Malve within twenty miles. 



Mr. Hume saw what he took to be mounds of this bird un Table Island 

 otf the Great Cocos, and the light-house keeper had apparently shot them 

 there. 



They appear to breed throughout the greater part of the year ; Mr. Hume 

 obtained a large scries of eggs in March, and the birds ware breeding when 



