COTURNICIN^. 591 



in Africa. Several, however, are found in the Malayan islands and 

 Australia. 



831. Excalfactoria chinensis, Linn^us. 



Tetrao apud Linn^us— Gould, Birds of Australia, V., pi. 92 — 

 Blyth, Cat. 1524— -Jeedon, Cat. 280— Tet. manillensis, Gmelim 

 —Cot. Philippensls, Brisson — C. excalfactoria, Temminck — C. 

 fiavipes, Blytii, (the female). 'Painted Quail' of some Sports- 

 men — Eain-quail in parts of Bengal. 



The Blue-breasted Quail. 



Descr. — Male, head and upper plumage olive-brown, with a 

 central pale streak on the head ; the feathers of the back pale- 

 shafted, and with a black band usually on one side only of the 

 shaft ; primaries and their coverts uniform olive-brown, some of the 

 greater secondary coverts edged with deep rufous, forming a 

 narrow red wing band, the rest of the quills barred with black ; 

 forehead, lores, cheeks, ear-coverts, and breast, of a fine dark purple 

 grey ; chin and throat deep black, enclosing a Avhite triangular 

 moustachial patch from the base of the lower mandible ; and below 

 the black is a white collar commencing as a narrow line behind 

 the ear-coverts, and curving down and increasing in width on the 

 lower part of the throat ; this is narrowly edged by black ; the 

 middle of the abdomen, vent and under tail-coverts, rich deep 

 maronne, as are most of the tail feathers. 



Bill black ; irides deep brown ; legs bright yellow. Length 5^ 

 inches; extent 9 ; wing 3 ; tail not 1 ; tarsus |. Weight 1| oz. 



The female differs in wanting the pronounced lower plumage of 

 the male bird ; the supercilium, forehead, and throat are rufous, 

 enclosing a dull whitish chin ; the breast is brown, with dark cross 

 bars, as are the feathers of the flanks which are much lengthened ; 

 the lower parts are whitish, tinged with earthy-brown. Length 

 5 ; extent 8. 



This beautiful little Quail recalls the coloring of some of the 

 American Quails, Ortygince, the grey and maronne tints being 

 similarly present in one or more of that group. The upper 

 plumage, however, is that of typical Coturnix. It is found 

 in many parts of India ; but generally rare, except in Bengal 



