THE INDIAN BUSH-QUAILS. 1 55 



Nest. — Neatly made of roots and fine grass, in a depression in 

 the ground sheltered by a bush or tuft of grass. 



Eggs. — Slightly pointed ovals, varying in colour from creamy- 

 to brownish- white; five to seven in number. Average measure- 

 ments, ro by 0*85 inch. 



II. THE ROCK BUSH-QUAIL. PERDICULA ARGOONDAH. 



Coturnix argoondah, Sykes, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 1533 id. Trans. 



Zool. Soc. ii. p. 17, pi. ii. (1841). 

 Perdicula argoondah, Hume and Marshall, Game Birds of 

 India, ii. p. 117, pi. (1879); Oates, ed. Hume's Nests 

 and Eggs Ind. B. iii. p. 441 (1S90); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. 

 B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 200 (1893). 



Adult Male. — Like the male of P. asiatica, but the upper- 

 parts are barred with buff and black or grey; the rufous on the 

 head and throat is dull brick-colour, not bordered with white ; 

 and the quills are barred on the inner as well as the outer webs 

 with rufous-buff. Total length, 6*5 inches ; wing, 3*3 ; tail, 17; 

 tarsus, 1. 



Adult Female.— Has the throat white, tinged with vinaceous ; 

 the upper-parts vinaceous-brown and under-parts dull vina- 

 ceous, a few faint buff and dusky markings on the former and 

 the middle of the belly whitish-buff. 



Range. — India ; ? Ceylon (Zayard). Mauritius [introduced]. 



Habits. — This species appears to have nearly the same wide 

 and irregular distribution throughout the Peninsula of India as 

 its near ally, the Jungle Bush-Quail, but affects very different 

 localities, the two forms being apparently complementary to 

 one another. The Rock Bush-Quail prefers the dry rocky 

 plains or low hillocks, thinly covered with scattered thorn- 

 bushes, and barren sparsely-cultivated districts ; and though 

 both species may occasionally be met with on the same stubble 

 where their ranges meet, it may be generally stated that, where 

 one is found, the other does not occur. The habits of the 



