THE SPUR-FOWL. 205 



its own beat, setting up frequently during the day the challenge 

 note, and woe betide any other Partridge that encroaches on 

 the forbidden ground ! They both set on him at once, and 

 buffet him without mercy till he takes to his heels. This pug- 

 nacious propensity often meets, as perhaps it deserves to do, 

 with an evil fate. The Chinese fowler listens for the chal- 

 lenge, and sets on the disputed hill a trap with a decoy within. 

 The decoy is trained, and sets up a reply. The lord and lady 

 of the manor rush to the spot and run recklessly into the trap 

 and are caught. The captures are taken to the market and 

 sold as cage-birds, the Chinese having a great love for the 

 horrible screeching cry that this bird is incessantly sending 

 forth. In the night this species leaves the shelter of the grass 

 and bush, and repairs to the branches of bamboos and other 

 trees to roost. It is an excellent percher, being quite at home 

 on a branch, in which respect it differs from the Chinese 

 Francolin (Francolinus chinensis)^ which never perches." 



Nest. — A depression in the ground under the shelter of a 

 bush or tuft. 



Eggs. — Numerous; seven to twelve or more in number; 

 dark brownish cream-colour, much like those of the Common 

 Partridge (P. perdix). Measurements, 1*38 by i*o inch. 



THE SPUR-FOWL. GENUS GALLOPERDIX. 



Galloperdix, Biyth, J. As. Soc. Beng. xiii. pt. 2, p. 936 (1844). 



Type, G. lunulata (Valenc). 



Tail composed of fourteen feathers, fairly long and rounded, 

 the outer feathers being shorter than the middle pair. 



The first flight-feather is much shorter than the second, which 

 is about equal to the tenth; the fifth and sixth are rather the 

 longest. 



A large naked space round the eye. 



Plumage of the sexes different. The feet of the male armed 

 with two, and sometimes with three pairs of spurs. In the 

 female one pair of spurs is usually developed, sometimes, b t 



