OTIDID^. ' 619 



sprouts and seeds of various plants, and that their diet is chiefly 

 vegetable. This, however, is opposed both to my own experience, 

 and the analogy of the other members of this family. It occasion- 

 ally, however, does eat sprouts and flowers of certain plants, but 

 whether from choice, or taken in along with some grasshopper 

 or beetle, . I cannot say. 



When feeding, or on bare ground, the Florikin is shy and wary, 

 and will often rise at some distance, but sooner or later takes refuge 

 in a thicker patch, and may be approached with ease; or it will 

 elude the gunner altogether by running to some distance, or squat- 

 ting. In the heat of the day it is generally flushed pretty close, even 

 when the sportsman is on an elephant. In general, it is a silent 

 bird, but if suddenly startled will rise with a shrill metallic chik-chik, 

 occasionally repeated during its flight. The Florikin is highly 

 esteemed for the table, being considered by some the most 

 delicious game in the country ; the flesh is brown without, with a 

 layer of white within^ juicy, and of a very high flavour. In 

 some districts it is eagerly sought for by sportsmen, but is most 

 frequently, perhaps, seen when tiger or large game are being 

 hunted for with a long line of elephants, and consequently many 

 escape being fired at. The churrs of the Burhampooter river are 

 said especially to abound with Florikin, even to upper Assam. Parts 

 of Rungpore, Furneah, and Goruckpore, all afford fair Florikin 

 shooting, as do many portions of the N. W. Provinces, from Delhi 

 to Rohilcund and Oude. 



839. Sypheotides auritus, Latham. 



Otis, apud Latham — Jard. and Selby, 111. Cm. pi. 40, 92 — 

 Belanger, Voy. aux Ind. Orient. Zool, pi. 10— Jerdon, 111. Ind. 

 Orn. pi. 33.— Blyth, Cat. 1542—0. fulva, Sykes, Cat. 167— 

 Jerdon, Cat. 282 — Charaz or Chai^aSt H. in the South of India— 

 Chulla charz, H. in some parts — Likh, H. inHindoostan — Tan-mor, 

 Mahr. — Kan-noul, Can. — Niala nimili, Tel., the last three names 

 si o-nifying Ground pea-fowl — Wurragu koU,Tixm. — Khartitar, of the 

 Bheels near Mhow, i. c, Grass-partridge — vulgo, Ghas ka murghi, 

 or Grass Fowl. 



