564 TETRAONID^. 



superciliary stripe seen in the male ; the feathers of the crown and behind the 

 eye being somewhat greyer than the others, and having polished shafts ; on 

 each side of the nape a dark stripe as in the male ; tail irregularly barred with 

 black ; under tail coverts dark cinnamon, with a stripe of black in the centre, 

 between which and the margin is a stripe on each side, which unites with a 

 large patch of the same hue near the tip. (Gould, B. of Asia.) Bill coral 

 red ; legs and feet pinkish. 



Length. 10 inches; wing 3-6; tail 3-3 ; tarsus I ; bill from gape 0-58. 



Hab. Only known, from Mussoorie in the neighhourhood of Naini Tal. 



Gen. Microperdix, Gould. 



Bill red, slender, no tarsal tubercle in the male, otherwise as in Perdicula. 



1234. Microperdix erythrorhyncha (Sykes), Hardw., III. ind. 



Zool. 2, pi. 44, f. 2 ; Gould, B . Asia pt. xiv. pi. xvi. Coturnix ery- 

 throrhyncha, Sykes, Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. ii., pi. i. Perdicula erythrorhyncha, 

 iii. p. 584, No. 828. The PAINTED or RED-BILLED BUSH QUAIL. 



Forehead, lores and crown of the head black ; a white frontal band con- 

 tinued as a supercilium over each eye ; upper plumage rich olive brown with 

 black lunules ; scapulars, wing coverts and secondaries with large patches of 

 black, the shafts pale yellow and some faint cross lines of the same ; primaries 

 brown, the outer webs barred with dark rufous ; tail brown, with black spots, 

 and barred with narrow pale lines ; beneath the chin is pure white bordered by 

 black ; rest of lower parts rufous, passing into olive brown on the sides of 

 the neck and with a few spots of black on the breast and side of the neck ; 

 flanks with large spots of deep black tipped with white. Bill and legs fine 

 red ; irides yellow brown. 



Length. 6-5 inches; wing 3 ; tail 1-5 ; tarsus I. The female has the head 

 brown, and the white parts rufous. 



Hab. Southern India, from the Wynaad to the Deccan in Poona Has also 

 been obtained in Coorg and on the Neilgherries ; also at Karlee above the 

 Khandalla Ghauts, and near Dharwar. Habits the same as Bush Quails, 

 living in small bevies. Breeds in the Neilgherries from August to November. 

 According to Mr. Mahon Daly, it is very common amongst the coffee on the 

 Shevaroys, and often in rocky ground with low jungle. They go about nearly 

 always in pairs, and not in large bevies as stated by Jerdon. They lay from 

 6 to 8 eggs on the ground, with just a few leaves placed around the nest. It 

 is very daring. Mr. Daly adds that he has seen it fly at a dog in defending its 

 brood. January -to March, and again September and October, are the months in 

 which this species breeds. The eggs are long ovals, pointed towards one end, 

 rather glossy and spotless cafe au lait^ varying in length from i'35 to 1*45 

 inches, and in breadth from 0-87 to 0*95. 



