224 GA.MB-BIRDS OF INDIA 



spread of cultivation and the consequent destruction of its favourite 

 haunts. In Nuddea it is not now heard of, and the last killed 

 there was by myself, this, too, a female, in January, 1884. 



In Behar it only occurs as a very rare straggler. Inglis, who has 

 worked this part of India very thoroughly, only records five instances 

 of its occurrence, and, of these two probably refer to the same bird. 



Nidiflcation. — The breeding-season of the Florican commences in 

 March and extends into June, but the majority of eggs are laid in the 

 first fortnight of April or in the last week of March. 



The cock Florican, like all the rest of his family, goes in for all 

 sorts of curious antics during the breeding season. Hodgson, as 

 quoted by Hume, writes : — 



"The Florican is neither polygamous nor monogamous, nor 

 migratory nor solitary. These birds dwell permanently and always 

 breed in the districts they frequent, and they dwell also socially, but 

 with a rigorous separation of the sexes, such as I fancy is paralleled 

 in no other species. Four to eight are always found in the same 

 vicinity, though seldom very close together, and tho males are 

 invariably and entirely apart from the females after they have grown 

 up. Even in the season of love, the intercourse of the sexes amongst 

 adults is quite transitory, and is conducted without any of that 

 jealousy and pugnacity which so eminently distinguish most birds 

 at that period. 



" In the season of love, tho troops of males and females come 

 into the same neighbourhood, but without mixing. A male that is 

 amorously disposed steps forth, and by a variety of very singular 

 proceedings, quite analogous to human singing and dancing, recom- 

 mends himself to the neighbouring bevy of females. He rises per- 

 pendicularly in the air, humming in a deep peculiar tone and flapping 

 his wings. He lets himself sink after he has risen some fifteen or 

 twenty yards, and again he rises and again falls in the same manner, 

 and with the same strange utterance, and thus perhaps five or six 

 times, when one of the females steps forward and with her he 

 commences a courtship in the manner of a turkey-cock, by trailing 

 his wings and raising and spreading his tail, humming all the time 

 as before. 



" When thus, with what I must call song and dance, the rites of 

 Hymen have been duly performed, the male retires to his company 

 and the female to hers : nor is there any appearance (I have at some 

 cost had the birds watched most closely) of further or more enduring 

 intimacy between the sexes than that just recorded, nor any evidence 

 that the male ever lends his aid to the female in the tasks of in- 

 cubation and rearing the young. 



