oie SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
the foothills of the Southern Province, where it is very common, 
its piping note may be heard nearly all the morning among 
the undergrowth and lantana scrub. 
The breeding season appears to be from about November to 
March or April, and occasionally again in July and August. 
Usually two eggs, sometimes more, are laid in a slight hollow 
of the ground under a bush in the jungle. In colour they are 
cream or cafe-au-lait, at times with a few white chalky specks. 
In shape they are long ovals, slightly pointed at the narrow 
end. The average size is 1:60 by 1°16. 
EXCALFACTORIA CHINENSIS (Blanford, Vol. IV., p. 112). 
CoTURNIX CHINENSIS (Legge, p. 755). 
The Blue-breasted Quail. 
Description.—Male : upper plumage in general is brown 
vermiculated and blotched with black ; in younger birds the 
feathers of the back and rump have conspicuous white shaft- 
stripes ; in very old birds these fade away, and the upper parts 
are largely tinged with bluish-gray. In some birds the larger 
wing coverts are washed with chestnut. The wing quills are 
dull brown, the tail slaty-blue edged with chestnut, in old 
birds entirely chestnut. The sides of the head are slaty-gray 
or brownish; the chin and throat black, bordered on each 
side by a white cheek stripe edged above with black ; lower 
fore-neck white, bordered by a band of black; the upper 
breast, the sides of the breast, and the flanks bluish-gray ; 
the rest of the under surface chestnut. 
Female: on the upper parts the plumage resembles that 
of young males, but there is more black on the scapulars and 
wing coverts. The forehead, eyebrow, face, chin, and throat 
are pale rufous-brown, lightest on the chin and throat ; lower 
parts buff, with black cross-bars on the breast, flanks, and 
thighs. 
Bill black, lead-coloured at the base ; iris in adult males 
crimson, in young males and in females yellowish-red ; legs 
and feet yellow. 
Length 5°5; wing 2°75; tail -9; tarsus ‘85; bill from 
gape *45. 
