CEYLON PIGEONS AND GAME BIRDS. 375 
In females the upper plumage is similar, but less conspi- 
cuously marked than in the male ; the under parts from the 
fore-neck are plain dull rufous with a grayish or lilac tinge 
on the breast. 
Young birds lack the chestnut on the head, while the shaft- 
stripes on the upper plumage are broader ; under parts dull 
rufous with pale shaft-stripes on the throat, fore-neck, and 
sides of the breast. 
Bill dark horn-colour, the lower mandible paler ; iris brown ; 
legs yellowish-red. 
Length 6:5; wing 3:2; tail 1:4; tarsus 1; bill from 
gape °5. 
Distribution.—In Ceylon confined to the grassy glades in 
the forest from the foothills of the Uva ranges eastwards 
through the park country. It does not appear to extend 
much south of the Kumbukkan river, nor as far north as the 
Mahaweli-ganga. In India it occurs in well-wooded tracts 
from the lower Himalayas to the extreme south of the 
peninsula. 
Habits—Like the Partridge, this species goes about in 
covies, and may be found in the grassy “talawas”’ of the 
park country. After rain the birds come out on to roads 
and paths in search of food. Like other quails when flushed, 
they fly straight and swiftly for a short distance, then suddenly 
drop into the grass andrun. They breed about April, making 
a small nest of grass on the ground under a bush or tuft of 
grass. The full clutch is from five to seven eggs of creamy 
white, rather pointed at one end, and measuring about 1°02 
by °84. 
FRANCOLINUS Picrus (Blanford, Vol. IV., p. 137 ; 
Legge, p. 744). 
The Painted Partridge. 
Description.—Male : the forehead, face, and a broad stripe 
over the eye to the sides of the nape dull rusty red; the 
feathers of the crown and nape black with buff edges ; on the 
13 6(7)17 
