188 GAME-BIRDS OF INDIA 



black feathers : here and there may be seen a few faint bars of grey 

 or specks of black. The feathers of the sides of the breast are very 

 full and long, forming a continuation of the ruff. 



The feathers of the crest may measure as much as 81'2 mm. in 

 length, whilst the longer feathers of the ruff are sometimes well over 

 1778 mm., and those of the breast are up to, or even over 762 mm. 



In old birds the grey on the breast appears to become purer and 

 more extensive, whilst the vermiculations become fewer and fewer. 



Colours of Soft Parts.—" The irides vary from pale to bright yellow. 



" The legs and feet are pale-yellow, never clear and bright, 

 mostly with a dingy, or greenish, or plumbeous tinge, at times 

 creamy ; the bill is blackish or dusky above, paler, usually greenish 

 or yellowish on gape and lower mandible. 



Measurements.— "Length 28 to 3025 inches, expanse 51"5 to 

 57"75, wing 15 to 16'1, tail from vent 8'5 to 10'25, tarsus 3'4 to 

 3-9, bill from gape 2-3 to 2-4. Weight 4 to 5^ lbs." (Hume). 



The measurements of the few males I have measured have been 

 as follows: wing 14'3 to 16'2 inches (=36'3 to 41'1 mm.), tail 8'5 to 

 9-5 (-= 216 to 241 mm.), bill, culmen I'SS to I'S (= 343 to 3-81 mm.), 

 and from gape 2'1 to 2'35 (= 53"3 to 64'7 mm.), mid-toe 1"65 to 2"0 

 (--41-9 to 50-8 mm.). 



Sharpe gives the measurements as " total length about 28 inches, 

 culmen 1'8, wing 15'7, tail 9'5, tarsus 4'9." These measurements 

 are very curious, as he makes out the female to be a much smaller 

 bird, yet gives a longer wing-measurement for the female than for 

 the male. The measurement given for the tarsus, 4'9, is probably a 

 slip or misprint for 3'9 inches. 



Adult Female. — " Differs from the male in being very much 

 smaller and in having the crest and the I'uff of the neck more feebly 

 developed, the freckling on the fore neck and lower throat appearing 

 to be rather coarser than in the male. 



Measurements. — " Total length 23 inches, culmen 1'65, wing 16, 

 tail 7, tarsus 3'7." (Sharpe). 



My measurements for the female are as follows : wing 13' 5 to 

 15"0 inches, (=34"2 to 38'1 mm.), bill from front on culmen 1"2 to 

 1-35 (=30-1 to 34-2 mm.), and from gape I'S to 2-2 (=45-7 to 55-9 

 mm.), mid-toe 1'56 to i'85 (=39"1 to 47'9 mm.). 



