SYPHEOTIS. 383 



three eggs of a dark olive-green colour, spotted and dashed with 

 light brown, 1-9 inch in length by 1-5 inch in width, the greatest 

 width being about the centre. The egg now sent was procured 

 with two others early in September." 



Dr. Jerdon remarks : " A few birds appear to breed in all parts 

 of Southern India from July to November, for I have put the hen 

 bird off her nest in August in the Dekhan and in October near 

 Trichinopoly, and have heard of the hen having been found incu- 

 bating still later, up to January indeed ; but the majority breed, in 

 Guzerat, Malwa, and Southern Eajpootana, from July to September. 

 I have found the cock bird commencing to assume the black plumage 

 at the end of April, and have killed them with the black ear-tuft 

 just beginning to sprout, hardly any other black feathers having 

 appeared. In other instances I have noticed that these ear-tufts 

 did not make their appearance till the bird was quite mottled with 

 black. The full and perfect breeding-plumage is generally com- 

 pleted during July and August. At this season the male bird 

 generally takes up a position on some rising ground (from which 

 it wanders but little, for many days even, and during the morning 

 especially, but in cloudy weather at all times of the day), every now 

 and then rises a few feet perpendicularly into the air, uttering at 

 the same time a peculiar croaking call, more like that of a frog or 

 cricket than that of a bird, and then drops down again. This is 

 probably intended to attract the females, who before their eggs are 

 laid wander greatly, or perhaps to summon a rival cock ; for I have 

 seen two in such desperate tight as to allow me to approach within 

 thirty yards before they ceased their battle. The female lays her eggs 

 in some thick patch of grass, four or five in number (one writer 

 says seven), of a dark olive colour, with or without a few darker 

 blotches, of a very thick stunted ovoid form, very obtuse at the 

 larger end. During this season the females are very shy and wary, 

 seldom rising, though often running great distances, and when 

 closely approached and unable to run further perhaps without being 

 seen, squatting so close as to allow a man or dog almost to tread 

 on them before they take flight." 



Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says: "It 

 breeds in April and May in low scrub- jungle. The eggs are laid 

 under a bush, in a slight hollow ; they are generally two in 

 number." 



Colonel Butler remarks : " The Lesser Morican breeds in the 

 neighbourhood of Deesa in July, August, and September." 



The eggs, for a magnificent series of which I ain indebted to 

 Messrs. Wenden, Alexander, and J. Davidson, like those of the 

 Great Bustard (which, though smaller, they greatly resemble), 

 vary much in size, shape, and coloration. 



Typically they are very broad ovals, with a feeble tendency to a 

 point at one end ; but some are nearly spherical, some are purely 

 oval, while one or two approach a Plover shape. 



The shell, everywhere closely pitted with minute pores, is stout 

 but smooth, and has always a slight, and at times a brilliant, gloss. 



