ORTYGORXIS. 437 



August, September, and October, and that at Belgaum he took 

 nests in December and February. 



In Ceylon this bird breeds twice a year, in August and December. 



The eggs vary iri shape from slightly elongated ovals, a good 

 deal pointed towards one end, to broad pegtops, but an inter- 

 mediate form is the most common. The shells are fine and glossy, 

 and the eggs average decidedly smaller than those of our Common 

 English Partridge. Their colouring too is of an entirely different 

 type, and is the same as that of the eggs of the Bush-Quails, 

 while that of the English Partridge in this respect more resembles 

 those of the Francolins. The eggs are white, more or less tinged with 

 cafe-au-lait colour, this tinge varying much in depth and intensity, 

 probably (though I have not accurately noted the fact) chiefly 

 according to the stage of incubation at which they are procured. 

 The eggs are spotless, but are often, especially the paler-coloured 

 ones, a good deal soiled and stained. I have never, out of some 

 hundreds that I have seen, met with an egg that could be rightly 

 called milky white. 



In size the eggs vary from 1-2 to 1*42 in length, and in breadth 

 from 0-95 to 1-12 ; but the average of fifty-four eggs is 1-3 by 1-03. 



Ortygornis gularis (Tern in.). The Swamp-Partridge. 



Ortvgornis gularis (TVmfn.), Jerd. B. Ind, ii, p. 572; Hume, Rouqh 

 Draft N. $ E. no. 823. 



I have only once shot, and have never seen a nest of, the Kyah 

 or Swamp-Partridge, and only one of my correspondents has ever 

 sent me its eggs or any notes in regard to its nidification. 



Dr. Jerdon remarks : " The Kyah breeds early in the spring 

 in some localities, at all events from March to May, and at this 

 time is very difficult to put up. The eggs are said to be laid 

 under some thick bush in a dry spot, and to be white, like those 

 of the Grey Partridge." 



Mr. H. J. Eainey took a nest near Khoolna in Jessore. He 

 writes : 



" April 13, 1875. The accompanying nest and five eggs were 

 discovered by one of my tenants, who said the Kyah, the Bengali 

 name for the bird, was sitting, and flew away on his coming up to 

 it. I had desired him to look out for these eggs, and, agreeably 

 to previous instructions, he marked the spot and informed me 

 of it. I proceeded there a short time afterwards, and when a 

 little way from the place I heard the loud cackling of, evidently, 

 the female bird, as if ifc had been disturbed, and on approaching 

 closer to it, it rose and flew off in another direction ; but having 

 unfortunately neglected to provide myself with a fowling-piece, I 

 could not secure it, though I saw it quite distinctly, and have not 

 the slightest doubt it was the Swamp-Partridge. Besides, there 

 is no other kind of Partridge ; in fact no other species of gallina- 

 ceous bird build hereabouts within a circuit of five-and-twenty miles, 

 as my experience of the locality enables me to confidently assert. 



