152 Mr. W. Jesse on the 



grass as a lining. The hen was greatly distressed, and returned 

 soon after being flushed, when Lucas shot her. The long 

 elliptical eggs were stone-coloured, with dark brown and 

 purple double spotting. Two of these — the third is in 

 Lucas's collection— measure l'44 7/ x 1-00" and r4.1"x'99". 



No. 1324. Pavo cristatus. Common Peafowl. 



Mor (J, Morel a ? [H.]. 



Though not met with in great numbers, the Peacock is 

 usually to be found in dhak -jungle, particularly where it is 

 bordered by cultivation, or in long grass and babool-jungle 

 by water. Though these birds are not specially venerated 

 about Lucknow, there are certain villages the inhabitants of 

 which object to their being molested. They breed in July, 

 August, and September, and probably earlier. I have never 

 been in their haunts during the breeding-season, but two eggs, 

 taken by Mr. P. J. Lucas near Mohanlalganj, 7/9/1896, 

 and given to me, measure 2*73" x 2*12 // and 2-76 // x 2 , 09 // . 



No. 1354. Excalfactoiiia ciiinensis. Blue-breasted 

 Quail. 



Gobal-Butai [H., teste Reid]. 



From Reid's enquiries amongst the bird-catchers, this 

 species appears to be occasionally netted with the Black- 

 breasted Quail during the " rains/' but is not met with at 

 other seasons. 



No. 1355. Coturnix communis. Common or Grey 

 Quail. 



Bhater, Ghagir Bhater, Burnt Bhater [H.]. 



Common during the cold weather and when the crops are 

 cut in April, the numbers increasing considerably about 

 March. It does not breed with us regularly, but eggs are 

 sometimes found by the villagers. One given to me by some 

 Martiniere boys, by whom the bird is known as the " Sand- 

 Plover/'' is of a rich yellow-stone colour, very heavily marked 

 with blackish brown. 



In the season of 1900-1901 hardly a Quail was to be seen 

 in Lucknow or, apparently, in the North-West Provinces. I 



