COTURNIX. 87 



6 10 8 eggs on the ground, with just a few leaves placed around the nest. It 

 is very daring. Mr. Daly adds that he has seen it fly at a dog in defending its 

 brood. January to March, and again September and October, are the months in 

 which this species breeds. The eggs are long ovals, pointed towards one end, 

 rather glossy and spotless cafe au lait, varying in length from i'35 to 1*45 

 inches, and in breadth from 0-87 to 0'95. 



112. Microperdix Blewitti, Hume, Sir. F. ii, p. 512; id. and 

 Marsh., Game Birds ii. p. 129, pi. Murray, Avif. Brit. Ind. ii. p. 565, 

 No, 1235. — The Eastern Painted Bush Quail. 



Very similar to M. erythrorhyncha, but differs in the male having the 

 black frontal band much narrower, and the white band surmounting it, also 

 the supercilium, broader ; the chestnut of the lower surface is much paler ; the 

 feathers of the upper breast, sides of the breast, part of the upper mandible 

 fringed with greyish pink, with black subterminal spots much larger and more 

 widely spread ; upper surface paler brown ; chin very narrowly black, or pure 

 white. Irides brown ; bill, legs and feet coral red. 



Length. — 5-9 to 6"5 ; wing 28 to 3'iS ; tail 1-4 to r6 ; tarsus 0-87 to 091 ; 

 bill from gape 0'5 to 0'6, 



Hab. — Chota Nagpur, in the Raipur, Sambulpoor, Bhandara, Mandla and 

 Seoni districts of the Central Provinces; affects grass patches and fields in 

 fairly large bevies. Breeds during June and July. The flesh like that of all 

 the Ferdicincc is delicate and well flavoured. 



Sub-Family.— COTURNICIN^.— Quails. 



Wings long, rather pointed ; bill moderate ; tarsus not spurred ; tail short, 

 covered by the upper tail coverts. 



Gen. QQ\^XVTl\lL^—Brisson. 



Bill short, straight, very slightly curved at the tip ; tarsi not spurred ; tail 

 short ; wings long and pointed ; 1st and 2nd quills longest. 



113. CoturniX communis {Linn.), Bona., Tabl. Enc. Meth. 

 p. 217 ; Bodd, PI. Enl. 170; Jerd., B. Ind.m. p. 586, No. 829; Hume, Nests 

 and Eggs Ind. B. p. 549; Blyth, B. Burm. p. 151 ; Dav. et Oust. Ois. 

 Chine, p. 396; Dresser, B. Eur. vii. p. 298; Hume, Str. F. viii. p. ill ; 

 Scully, Str. F. viii. p. 350 ; Hume and Marsh., Game Birds ii. p. 133, pi. ; 

 Hume, Str. F. x. p. 236 (jiote) ; Murray, Hdbk., Zool., 8fc., Sind, p. 203 ; 

 id., Vert. Zool., Sind, p. 215; Oates, B. Br. Burm. ii. p. 331 ; Murray, Avif, 

 Brit. Ind. ii. p. 565, No. 1236. — The Common European or Large Grey Quail. 



PLATE. 

 The following synopsis of the two known species will suffice to identify 

 them : — 



