PAINTED PARTRIDGE 233 



now and then on their borders, resulting in hybrids. It would 

 be interesting to know which way these are bred ; theoretically, 

 the handsomer and better-armed male of the black partridge 

 ought to be able to elope with the ladies of the present species, 

 which is moreover a decidedly smaller bird, but questions like 

 these can never be settled theoretically, and observation often 

 results in a surprise. 



The mention above of the frontier of these two birds coincid- 

 ing illustrates the fact that the painted partridge is a southern 

 Indian bird, which ranges even to Ceylon, though curiously 

 enough it is not found in Mysore, or south of Coimbatore or 

 of Bombay on the Malabar Coast. In Ceylon it is confined 

 to some hills in the Newera Eliya district, and is not found 

 anywhere outside it. The name "southern francolin " well 

 expresses its position, though " painted " quite well describes it 

 in comparison with the ordinary grey partridge, if not with its 

 handsome dark northern cousin. 



Although so nearly related to this bird its ways differ 

 considerably in detail. For instance, though the relationship 

 is recognizable even in the notes, the calls of the two birds 

 are not identical, that of the present one being rendered as 

 Chee-kee-kerray; it also calls even earlier in the morning, 

 and generally from a tree, in which the singer and his mate 

 have probably passed the night, for this bird is far more of a 

 percher than the last species or than most of our partridges, 

 and is commonly to be found in trees in the morning and 

 evening. The cocks, by the way, call very late as well as 

 very early. 



The sort of localities which the black partridge affects are 

 not so much favoured by the southern francolin, which is 

 more partial to dry soil, and less fond of jungle; in fact, 

 cultivated fields, if well supplied with trees, are a pretty sure 

 resort for these birds, as is also scrub jungle on rocky ground; 

 but they also haunt sugar-cane fields, and are in fact pretty 

 easily suited, though in many districts very local. 



Although more given to running than the northern francolin, 

 they are nearly as good both for shooting and eating, and can 

 claim the only place near these birds in point of all-round 



