Spur-Fowl. 225 



the forest, it immediately becomes aware 

 of the presence of the enemy, and runs 

 off with great speed, instantly disappearing 

 in the thick jungle. It does not, how- 

 ever, confine itself entirely to forests, as 

 I have sometimes found it in Lantana- 

 scrub and detached copses in the south- 

 west of the island ; and I have more than 

 once, by rushing into a small thicket with 

 shouts, endeavoured to get it on the wing, 

 but have always failed, as it invariably 

 escaped by darting through the grass and 

 underwood on foot, and thus gained the 

 main portion of the jungle in safety." 



The Ceylon Spur-Fowl appears to breed 

 throughout the year, laying its eggs, which 

 are from four to six in number, in a 

 hollow in the ground under some shelter, 

 such as a rock or root of a tree. The 

 eggs are oval in shape, fairly glossy and 

 pale buff in colour. They measure from 

 1*44 to i'55 in length and from i'oq to 

 I -18 in breadth. . 



The male has the crown of the head 

 black with minute white streaks. The 

 feathers above and below the nude skin 

 on the side of the head, and those on 

 the sides and back of the neck, are black, 

 each feather with a small oval white drop. 

 The mantle and shoulders are black. 



15 



