226 



is a tree which in the cold weather bears a fruit with seede like 

 those of a chilli. On these the birds feed greedily insects and 

 worms with this fruit form their chief food, but I have on one 

 occasion found small land shells in the stomach of the adult male 

 The spring-traps are baited with a crimson seed which is obtained 

 from a forest tree." Darling " They feed in the thick clumps on 

 seeds, insect and shells." H. M. G. B. I, 106-109. It feeds like 

 the Peafowl. E. B. C. N. H., 208. 



1328. Gallus ferrugineus. Bed Jungle-fowl. In travelling 

 through a forest country many will always be found near the roads 

 to which they resort to pick up grain from the droppings of cattle, 

 &c. Jerd. B. I. Ill, 538. 



Colonel Tickell remarks " Like the Phasianidse wild poultry 

 are omnivorous." To a certain extent the Jungle-fowl is omnivo- 

 rous, and will eat not only grass and young shoots and flower buds, 

 and seeds and grain of all kinds, but worms and grasshoppers and 

 beetles and small land shells, but they are preferentially gramini- 

 vorous, and I have examined scores which had eaten nothing but 

 grain. In the autumn after the millet fields have ripened they grow 

 very fat on the grain. Captain Baldwin ( They like to scratch 

 about at the back of old cattle sheds, and where crops grow close 

 to the jungle side will enter the cornfields to feed." Mr. Rainey 

 " Their principal food in the Sunderbands is insects, especially I 

 should say the larvae of termites or white ants which abound there. 

 Grass seeds also doubtless afford them some subsistence. The ma- 

 jority rarely have an opportunity of feeding on grain. It must, 

 however, be admitted that those which do thus get a chance of 

 partaking the luxuries of civilization evince the greatest partiality 

 for them, and regularly every morning and evening make a raid on 

 the rice fields near harvest time." H. M. G. B. I, 220-226. Young 

 do not thrive on white ants only. B. N. H. S. J. XI, 678. Leaves, 

 seeds, insects, and especially grain. E. B. C. N. H., 209. 



1329. Gallus lafayetti. Ceylon Jungle-fowl. Is attracted to 

 the particular localities where the " nilloo," the native name for 

 some species of Strobilanthus growing at 5,000 feet and upwards' 



