PTEKOCLES INDICUS 



257 



It is also probable that very few breed during the height of the 

 rainy season, i.e., from July to the early part of October. Amongst 

 others who have reported the time eggs have been taken are the 

 following : — 



Pytliian- Adams, Davitlson ... 



Butler, Colonel E. Bingham... 



Mosse, Davidson, Wenden ... 



Hume, Adam, Pythian-Adams, Bulkley 



Nunn, Hume, Davidson, Bulkley, C. T. 



Bingham 



Barnes, Felton 



Thompson, Davidson 



Pythian- Adams 



January. 

 February. 

 March. 

 April. 



May. 

 June. 



November. 

 December. 



As one would expect from its habits the Painted Sand-Grouse 

 generally deposits its eggs in ravines, broken ground, etc., where 

 there is a certain amount of cover and, in the Central Provinces, 

 actually in forest-land. As a rule it makes no nest at all, though 

 a few odd pieces of grass may, perchance, collect in the hollow it 

 scratches out in the earth before depositing its eggs. Sometimes, 

 however, it does make some pretence of a nest, collecting a few 

 bents and grasses and fashioning these, by pressure only, into a 

 hollow cup, fitting the depression already made in the earth. Mr. 

 P. Thompson also describes a nest which would appear to have 

 been yet a further advance in architectural skill : — 



" The nest contained three eggs, of which one unfortunately got 

 broken. It was placed on the gi-ound on a slight rise ; neatly and 

 well put together, saucer-like, made of dried grass, bits of dried leaves 

 of bamboo and other plants. The soil was sandy, with a thin forest 

 growing on it, and the nest was placed under the shade of a small 

 tree. There was no cover in the immediate vicinity of the nest ; in 

 fact, for three or four yards all round there was nothing but short 

 thin grass. I accidentally arrived at the spot, and whilst talking to 

 a friend, the female bird got up close at our feet, and I saw the nest 

 immediately." 



Ordinarily, however, it makes no nest at all and nearly all 

 observers write to this effect. 



Captain Mosse gives me an interesting account of some young 

 birds found by him : — 



17 



