374 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
Length 7 ; wing 3:5; tail 1; tarsus 1 ; bill from gape °5. 
Distribution —The species has been recorded from Colombo, 
and there are three specimens in the Museum taken near that 
town; it is probably not a resident. It occurs throughout 
the greater portion of India, where it is partially migratory. 
In Burma it appears to be confined to the Irrawaddy valley. 
Habits —This Quail is found in grass land and growing crops 
of dry grain, moving from district to district with the seasons. 
It is just possible that stray birds may be found breeding in 
the Island. The nest is a mere hollow in the ground ; the 
eggs, four to nine in number, are whitish to brownish-buff, 
speckled thickly with brown, and measuring about 1-09 by °83. 
Note.—Coturnix communis, the Gray Quail, may possibly 
occur in Ceylon. Legge (p. 757) states that Mr. Bligh, a 
well-known Ceylon Ornithologist, met with a pair of quails 
larger than T'urnix taigoor in the Yala district one January. 
He was, however, unable to obtain a specimen, but concluded 
that they were Gray Quail. The species differs from C. 
coromandelica in being larger, with a wing measurement of 
4 inches, and by having pale cross-bars on the primary quills. 
PERDICULA ASIATICA (Blanford, Vol. IV., p. 118; 
Legge, p. 752). 
The Jungle Bush Quail. 
Description.—Male : the crown is rufous-brown with some 
blackish markings ; it is bounded below by a white streak 
running over the eye to the nape ; forehead, eyebrow, chin, 
and throat rufous-chestnut ; hind-neck and upper back brown, 
with light shaft-stripes and narrow black wavy cross-bars ; 
rump and upper tail coverts similarly coloured, but the pale 
shaft-stripes are wanting, and there are some dark buff 
black-bordered markings. The scapulars, wing coverts, and 
tertiaries are more boldly marked with blackish-brown and 
dark buff ; wing quills brown with buff markings on the outer 
webs ; tail brown with wavy cross-bars of black and dark 
buff. The cheek feathers are whitish with black edges ; 
under parts from the lower neck barred black and white ; 
lower abdomen, thighs, and under tail coverts rufous. 
