TACCOCUA. 425 



1017. TaCCOCUa LoSChenaulti (Less.), Jerd., B. Ind. i. p, 352; 

 Hume, Sir. F. v. p. 218. Zanclostomus sirkeer, Jtrd., Cat. 230; id., 2nd 

 Suppl. Cat. 230; Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 145. The SOUTHERN 

 SIRKEER. 



Upper surface of the body pale earthy-brown, the feathers of the head 

 inclining to ashy ; the shafts, also those of the neck and breast, glistening 

 black ; upper tail coverts long ; lateral tail feathers dark-brown and broadly 

 tipped with white ; throat whitish ; foreneck and breast ashy, tinged with 

 ferruginous ; abdomen dark ferruginous. Bill cherry red, yellowish at tip ; 

 feet plumbeous ; irides reddish brown. 



Length. 15 to 15-5 inches; wing 5*5 to 575 ; tail 8'O. 



Hab. Southern India on the Neilgherries, also on the Eastern Ghauts and in 

 the Deccan, frequenting grassy slopes near jungle at from 5,000 to 6,000 ft. 

 elevation. Feeds chiefly on the ground. Nest similar to that of a crow- 

 pheasant. Breeds in March. Eggs 2 3, white. 



1018. Taccocua sirkeer, Gray, III. Ind. Zool. pi. 28 ; Jerd., B. 



Ind. i. p. 353, No. 220 ; Murray, Sir. F. v. p. 219; id., Hdbk. Zool., Sfc., 

 Sind, p. 132 ; id., Vert. Zool. Sind, p. 118 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. 

 p. 145. Centropus cuculoides, Smith, J . A. S. B. x. p. 658. The BENGAL 

 SIRKEER. 



Head, neck, sides of the face, entire upper parts, including upper tail 

 coverts and tail sandy brown with a slight satiny sheen ; barbs of the feathers 

 of the forehead, crown, lores and sides of the face very lax and with stiff bristly 

 black shafts. Eye-lashes also with black bristles, which are basally white. 

 Chin yellowish brown, the feathers black-shafted ; throat, sides of the neck and 

 breast concolorous with the back, the feathers lax and black- shafted; scapulars 

 the same. Primaries and secondaries plain sandy brown on their outer webs, 

 their inner webs slightly darker, their shafts dark brown. Secondaries and tail 

 feathers with obsolete bars. Lower breast, abdomen, flanks, tibial plumes, 

 under wing coverts and vent ferruginous ; under tail coverts brown, tinged 

 with ferruginous. Bill cherry red, the tip yellowish ; orbits purplish. Legs 

 dusky greenish. 



Length. 17 inches ; wing 5 '6 to 6'2 ; tail 9-2 to 9-5 ; bill from gape 1-5. 



Hab Sind (Jacobabad), Punjab, N.-W. Provinces, Bengal, Kutch, Concan, 

 Deccan, and Central India. The Bengal Sirkeer lays from May to August ; 

 builds a nest similar to that of a crow-pheasant and in similar situations. 

 Eggs 2 in number, dull glossless white, of a chalky texture, stained with a 

 yellowish glaze; size T25 to 1-45 inch x roz to n in breadth. 



1019. Taccocua infuscata, Biyth, J. A. S. B. xiv. p. 200; Jerd., 



B. Ind. i. p. 353. Taccocua affinis, Biyth, J, A. S. B. xv. p. 19 ; Jerd., B. 

 Ind. p 354 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 146. The NORTHERN SIRKEER. 



