436 Manual of the Game Birds of India. 



in shape. Some are pyriform, but the 

 majority are short, broad ovals, very blunt 

 at the smaller end. The ground-colour 

 varies from greyish white to pale buff. 

 The surface-markings, consisting of small 

 l)lotches and spots, are sepia or yellowish 

 brown, and the underlying markings are 

 generally very large blotches of pale grey- 

 ish brown or pale purple. Both sets of 

 markings are more thickly disposed at 

 the thick end of the egg than elsewhere, 

 and form, in many cases, a well-marked 

 cap. The shell has a fair amount of 

 gloss. The eggs measure from i'6 to 

 1*9 in length, and from i'25 to i'42 in 

 breadth. 



The plumage of the Wood-Cock is 

 too varied to admit of any very minute 

 description. The intensity of the mark- 

 ings vary a good deal according to age 

 and season. 



The forehead and front part of the 

 crown are ashy, generally plain, but some- 

 times mottled. A l^lack band connects 

 the eye and the base of the bill. The 

 hinder part of the crown is black, crossed 

 by two or three narrow rufous bars. The 

 back is largely blotched with black and 

 mottled with rufous. The scapulars and 

 the long inner secondaries are barred 



