Spur-Fowl. 221 



degree of north latitude. To the east this 

 bird extends to the sea-coast from Cuttack 

 to Pondicherry, wherever there is hilly 

 ground. 



Dr. Jerdon has the following note on 

 this species : — " This handsome Spur- 

 fowl is especially partial to rocky jungles 

 and tangled coverts, and is a very difficult 

 bird to flush, taking a short and rapid flight 

 and diving down into some impenetrable 

 thicket. I have often seen it running 

 rapidly across rocks when the jungles 

 were being beaten for large game. From 

 the difficulty of procuring this bird, it is 

 not well known to sportsmen in general, 

 even in districts where it is not rare. . . . 

 The males have a fine cackling sort of call, 

 very fowl-Hke." 



The nest of the Painted Spur-fowl is 

 simply a hollow in the ground under 

 shelter of a rock in a thicket. The breed- 

 ing season extends from March to June. 

 The eggs do not appear to exceed five. 

 They are pale buff with some gloss, and 

 they measure from 1*55 to i"65 in length 

 and from 1-07 to i'i5 in breadth. 



In the male the crown of the head is 

 black spotted with white. The mantle, 

 back, and all the wing-coverts are rich 

 chestnut with white black-edged spots. 



