380 Maftual of the Game Birds of India. 



have never heard the males crow, nor do 

 I think that they ever do so ; when alarmed 

 both males and females have a peculiar 

 sharp note, exceedingly like that of 

 the large black-backed squirrel {Sciicrus 

 bicolor). The males also continually 

 make a whirring sound with their wings 

 which can be very well imitated by twirl- 

 ing rapidly between the hands a small 

 stick in the cleft of which a piece of stiff 

 cloth has been transversely placed. I 

 have often discovered the whereabouts of 

 a flock by hearing this noise. They never 

 come into the open, but confine them- 

 selves to the forests, feeding on berries, 

 tender leaves, and insects and grubs of all 

 kinds ; and they are very fond of scratch- 

 ing about after the manner of domestic 

 poultry and dusting themselves. When 

 disturbed they run rapidly away, not in 

 different directions, but all keeping much 

 together ; they rise at once before a dog, 

 getting up with a great flutter, but when 

 once well on the wing, fly with a strong 

 and rapid flight ; they seldom alight again 

 under a couple of hundred yards, and 

 usually on the ground, when they imme- 

 diately start running." 



In the British Museum there is an egg 

 of this bird which was laid in confinement 



