368 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
Female : head and nape chocolate-brown ; the tips of the 
crest feathers chestnut fringed with green ; the upper plumage 
brown ; the coverts of the wings and tail finely mottled with 
buff, the quills darkish brown; a patch on the throat and 
sides of the neck whitish ; below this the neck is chestnut, 
changing on the lower neck to metallic green ; breast feathers 
dark brown glossed with green and with broad buff fringes ; 
abdomen whitish-buff ; vent and fluffy under tail coverts 
dark brown. 
Young males resemble females, save that the primary quills 
are chestnut or partly so. 
Bill horny brown ; naked skin of face grayish ; iris dark 
brown ; legs and feet fleshy-brown. 
Male: length without train about 47; tail 22; wing 20; 
tarsus 5°75; bill from gape 2; the train in old birds may be 
up to 5 or 6 feet. 
Females are smaller ; length about 38; wing 13 to 16; 
tarsus 5; bill 1°75. 
Distribution.—Found in the scrubby tracts of the dry coast 
zone from Puttalam to Jaffna, and down most of the east 
coast as far south as Ranna, a little east of Tangalla. It also 
occurs inland in the park country as far north as Polon- 
naruwa, and there are a few isolated colonies at the heads of 
some of the largest tanks in the North-Central and Northern 
Provinces. 
It is common in suitable districts throughout the low- 
country in India. In Burma it is replaced by an allied species. 
Habits.—Peafow] are most common in scrub jungle or forest 
adjoining wild open spaces, in which the birds can come out 
to feed on grass seeds, insects, and small reptiles. In the 
forenoon and towards nightfall they perch on the branches of 
tall trees, from which they can keep a good look out. The 
cocks are polygamous, and may often be seen attended by 
four or five hens; in the mating season they spread their 
trains and execute fantastic step dances to show off before 
their partners. The cry is a loud harsh “ pee-auw.” During 
the rains of the north-east monsoon or a little later the hen 
lays four or five eggs in a small hollow of the ground, which it 
