596 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



and ("perhaps) Malayan race wliich also occurs within our limits, 

 in the Himalayas, and hence I have taken Sykes' name as the one 

 first bestowed on the peninsular race, albeit applied only to the 

 male, as he considered the female to be purjnax, a Javanese bird. 

 As thus understood, the present species may be said to inhabit 

 the whole of Continental India including Ceylon. Specimens 

 from different localities differ slightly. The Ceylon bird is 

 altogether similar in the upper plumage to peninsular specimens, 

 but rather deeper ferruginous beneath ; whilst some from Bengal 

 have a sliglitly darker and browner tone above, but with the 

 whitish edgings to the feathers of the back still more pronounced 

 and wider ; whilst the ferruginous colour of the lowei* parts is 

 perhaps a little paler. ^v 



The black-breasted Bustard-quail affects grassy patches in the 

 forests and jungles ; also low bushy jungle, and is frequently to 

 be found in fields of Chili, Dhal, and various dense crops, especially 

 if near patches of jungle ; for in open and barren country, or very 

 highly cultivated country without juugle, it is comparatively rare. 

 Occasionally small bevies of five or six are flushed together, but 

 in general, it is put up singly, or two or three birds together. 

 It feeds on grain of various kinds, but also very much on small 

 insects, larvse of grasshoppers and the like. The female has a 

 peculiar loud purring call which must be familiar to many. 



The hen-birds are most pugnacious, especially about the 

 breeding season, and this propensity is made use of, in the south 

 of India, to effect their capture. For this purpose a small 

 cage with a decoy bird is used, having a concealed spring 

 compartment, made to fall by the snapping of a thread placed 

 between the bars of the cage. It is set on the ground in some 

 thick cover carefully protected. The decoy-bird begins her loud 

 purring call which can be heard a long way off, and any females 

 within ear-shot rvm rapidly to the spot, and commence fighting 

 with the caged bird, striking at the bars. This soon breaks the 

 thread, the spring-cover falls, ringing a small bell at the same 

 time by which the owner, who remains concealed near at hand, is 

 Avarned of a capture ; and he runs up, secures his prey and sets the 

 cage again in another locality. In this way I have known twelve 



