138 INDIAN SPORTING BIRDS 



warragoo crops account for the Tamil name Warragoo kolee 

 (Warragoo fowl), while it is also called Khar-titar (grass- 

 partridge), by the Bheels near Mhow. 



The food of this bustard is chiefly grasshoppers, but also 

 centipedes, small lizards, and beetles, including blister-beetles ; 

 when these are being consumed its flesh is a viand to be avoided, 

 as mentioned under the heading of the large florican. Ordinarily 

 it is not considered equal to that bird, though, nevertheless, 

 generally in high estimation ; but of course with all mixed- 

 feeding birds, the previous diet of the game itself has a good deal 

 to do with the judgment passed on it. 



Owing to the wide range of the bird and its nomadic habits, 

 the time of the breeding season varies a good deal, from July to 

 October, according to locality, the northern-breeding birds being 

 later in the year than the southern members of their species. 

 It is a bird which, on account of its unique character no less 

 than its sporting value, deserves careful protection to encourage 

 its increase, and no doubt this could be done better by prohibiting 

 the shooting of hens at any time than by trying to fix close 

 seasons. 



The eggs are laid — for no nest but a "scrape" is made — on 

 some little bare patch or among low grass, not over two feet 

 high, no doubt so that the chicks can get about more easily than 

 would be possible in the usual higher cover the old ones frequent. 

 The eggs are broadly oval, rather under two inches long, and 

 speckled with cloudy markings of some shade of brown on a 

 ground of more or less bright greeny drab or brown. 



Besides the names above alluded to, this small florican is 

 dignified by some natives with the title of ground peafowl, like 

 its big relative, Tan-mor in Mahratta, Kan-noul in Canarese, 

 and Nialaniinili, having this significance. It is also called 

 Chota charat or small florican. 



