GALLOPERDIX. 67 



^<t(5.— Throughout the peninsula of India in suitable localities, extending 

 northwards in the Central Provinces to Pachmurree, and on the west as far 

 north as Mount Abu. It ascends the Neilgherries to 5,000 feet. Breeds 

 wherever found in March and April, making a nest in woods on the ground. 

 In the Shevaroys, according to Mr. Mahon Daly, it breeds during February 

 and March, laying its eggs under bamboo bushes, to which it is particularly 

 partial. Eggs, 5 — 7, but generally 7 to 13, dirty white or buff colour, from 

 17 to 2*05 inches in length, and from r35 to 1*5 inches in breadth. 



Gen. Galloperdix.— i??y//^. 



Bill somewhat lengthened ; orbits nude ; tail moderately long, of 14 

 feathers, held erect and folded as in the domestic fowl ; tarsus of male with 

 2 or more spurs ; females also spurred. 



85. GalloperdiX SpadiceUS {Gmel), Hardzvicke, III. Ind. Zool. 

 i. pi. 42, fig. 2; Gouldy B. Asia, pt. vi. pi. 3; ycrd., B. /;/«'. iii. p. 541, 

 No. 814; Hume, Nests and Eggs Lid. B. p. S32; id., Sir. F. iv. p. 5 ; 

 Hume and Marsh., Game Birds, p. 248, pi.; Miirray, Avif. Brii. Ind.W, 

 p. 547, No. 1209. — The Red Spur Fowl. 



Forehead bufifish ; crown of the head and nape dusky olive brown ; orbital 

 region whity brown ; chin, throat, and sides of the neck pale brown ; rest of 

 body both above and below rich bay, each feather margined paler ; central 

 feather of the tail chestnut, the rest dark brown, more or less mottled in 

 adolescents, the mottlings obsolete in old adults ; lower abdomen, vent, and 

 under tail coverts olivaceous. In the female the crown is dusky blackish, the 

 neck olive brown ; upper plumage pale rufous brown, each feather banded 

 with black and minutely speckled ; rump and upper tail coverts the same ; 

 tail feathers with black bars and rufous mottlings ; primaries, their coverts 

 and winglet spotless dusky brown ; in some specimens the primaries are 

 margined whitish and the secondaries barred with dark yellowish, the winglets 

 too are finely barred v/ith black and white ; chin and throat albescent ; neck 

 olive brown, tipped with black ; breast and flanks bright ferruginous with 

 narrow black fringes; belly dusky brown; under tail coverts freckled rufous 

 brown. Bill dusky, red at base, horny towards the tip ; legs and feet from coral 

 to vermilion red. Males have from 2 to 3 spurs ; females also have spurs, 

 sometimes one on one leg only, on others one on each leg ; irides orange brown. 



Length. — 14 to 15 inches ; wing 6-2 to 65 ; tail 5 to 6 ; tarsus r65 to 175 ; 

 bill from gape i to V2. Females are smaller. 



Hal. — Southern India, on the Neilgherries, Shevaroys, Wynaad, IMalabar 

 Coast, Western Ghauts, up to Mount Abu ; the Eastern parts of Central 

 India, between Nagpur and Nerbudda and in the Vindhian range ; also in the 

 Rajmehal and Kurruckpore hills. It has been found north of the Ganges and 

 in the Nepaul and Goruckpur Terai. Wherever it is found, Hume says, he 

 believes it is a permanent resident. It lays from the end of February to the 



