126 GAME-BIRDS OF INDIA 



to recuperate, each female might well lay four or even more clutches 

 in the year. Doubtless, too, sportsmen have noticed that they kill 

 two or three adult males to every adult female, and this fact, that 

 the males should be far more numerous than the females, is what 

 is to be expected in a polyandrous species. 



There is also some proof that the females fight for the possession 

 of the males, for the Cachar Mahomedan Shikaries, who reverse the 

 sexes, all say that the males are great fighters and constantly fight 

 over the females. 



Captain C. E. 8. Pitman sends a very interesting note to the 

 B.N.H.S. Journal which goes far to confirm my theorj'. 



I then put two off their nests, which proved to be males. Each 

 nest contained four eggs, and incubation had started. In this place 

 I counted sixteen and shot nine ; five of these were males and four 

 females; there were, liowever, no more females, as the difference in 

 the sexes is very noticeable when on the wing. 



" In December, 1910, I noticed some Painted Snipe near a small 

 tank, and always saw three ; they proved to be two old males and 

 one female." 



The breeding season of the Painted Snipe begins on the 1st of 

 January and ends on the 31st December, being shortened, as already 

 mentioned, merely by local limitations, such as failure of water 

 supply, and consequently of suitable habitation and, to a less extent, 

 of sufficient food. In places where there are swamps well supplied 

 with water and cover all the year round we shall find that eggs of 

 the Painted Snipe may be found during any month of the twelve, 

 being naturally most numerous during those months in which the 

 food supply is most plentiful and the birds are consequently in the 

 best condition. 



Legge says that in Ceylon — the evergreen — this bird breeds 

 throughout the year, and he mentions having records of eggs or 

 young in every month of the year except January, February, 

 August and October. As, however, he got an oviduct egg on the 

 31st December and young birds in March, his records practically 

 cover the whole year. 



In Cachar and Sylhet it is the same, though but few birds breed 

 in March and April, when water is comparatively scarce ; in the 

 Sunderbunds they breed all the year round, but seldom in August 

 and September, when their favourite breeding grounds are flooded. 



