278 Lloyd's natural history. 



rufous-buff, shading into white on the belly ; most of the 

 feathers on the sides of the chest and breast with a round black 

 ^pot near the extremity. Total length, 6*5 inches ; wing, 3*8 \ 

 tail, 1-5; tarsus, 1*05. 



Younger examples of both sexes have the upper-parts blotched 

 with black and mixed with rufous, the latter colour being most 

 conspicuous on the back of the neck, where it forms an in- 

 distinct collar. Males may be recognised by their smaller 

 size. 



Range. — India, east of the Bay of Bengal to the south of 

 Tenaiserim, Siam and China, as far north as Manchuria. 



Habits. — The late Mr. W. R. Davison says : — " I have always 

 found this species about gardens or in the immediate vicinity 

 of cultivation ; but it is very rare, being only occasionally met 

 with, and always singly or in pairs. It is hard to flush, and 

 only flies a short distance before again dropping, but it then 

 runs a considerable distance before halting, and thereafter lies 

 very close. It feeds like the other Quails in the mornings and 

 evenings, lying hid during the heat of the day. On cloudy or 

 ^ainy days it moves about all day. 



'^The fact is that itis apparently everywhere thinly distributed, 

 that it is a terrible skulk, only to be flushed by chance 

 without the aid of dogs, and is, I gather, as a rule, a very silent 

 bird. 



" Specimens examined had eaten grain, seeds, small insects, 

 and tiny green shoots." 



XL THE INDL\N BUSTARD-QUAIL. TURNIX TANKL 



Turnix tanki (Buchanan Hamilton), Blyth, J. As. Soc. Beng. 

 1843, p. 180; Gates, ed. Hume's Nests and Eggs Ind. B. 

 iii. p. 370 (1890); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. 



p. 544 (1893)- 

 Hemipodius jondera, Hodgson, in Gray's Zool. Misc. p. 85 

 (1844) [nom. nud.]. 



