COTURNIX. 565 



1235. Microperdix Blewitti, Hume, Str.F.\\. p. 512; id. and 



Marsh,, Game Birds ii p. 129, pi. The EASTERN PAINTED BUSH QUAIL. 



Very similar to M. erythrorhyncha, but differs in the male having the 

 black frontal band much narrower, and the white band surmounting it, also 

 the supercilium, broader ; the chestnut of the lower surface is much paler ; the 

 feathers of the upper breast, sides of the breast, part of the upper mandible 

 fringed with greyish-pink, with black subterminal spots much larger and more 

 widely spread ; upper surface paler brown ; chin very narrowly black, or pure 

 white. Irides brown ; bill, legs and feet coral red. 



Length. 5-9 to 6-5 ; wing 2-8 to 3-15 ; tail 1-4 to r6 ; tarsus 0*87 to 0-91 ; 

 bill from gape 0*5 to O*6. 



Hab. Chota Nagpur, in the Raipur, Sambulpoor, Bhandara, Mandla and 

 Seoni districts of the Central Provinces; affects grass patches and fields in 

 fairly large bevies. Breeds during June and July. The flesh like that of all 

 the PerdicincE is delicate and well flavoured. 



Sub-Family. COTURNICIN^:. QUAILS. 



Wings long, rather pointed ; bill moderate ; tarsus not spurred ; tail short, 

 coriceated by the upper tail coverts. 



Gen. CoturniX- Brisson. 



Bill short, straight, very slightly curved at the tip ; tarsi not spurred ; tail 

 short; wings long and pointed ; 1st and 2nd quills longest. 



1236. CoturniX COmmuniS (Linn.), Bonn., Tall. Enc. Meth. 

 p. 217 ; Bodd, PI Enl. 170; Jerd., B. Ind. iii., p. 586, No. 829; Hume, Nests 

 and Eggs, Ind. B. p. 549; Elyth, B. Burm. p. 151; Dav. et Oust. Ois. 

 Chine, p. 396; Dresser, B. Eur. vii. p. 298; Hume, Str. F. viii. p. ill ; 

 Scully, Sir. F. viii. p. 350 ; Hume and Marsh., Game Birds ii. p. 133, pi. ; 

 Hume, Str. F. x. p. 236 (note) ; Murray, Hdbk., ZooL, fyc., Sind, p. 203 ; 

 id., Vert. ZooL, Sind, p. 215; Oates, B. Br. Burm. ii. p. 331. The COMMON 

 EUROPEAN or LARGE GREY QUAIL. 



PLATE. 



The following synopsis of the two known species will suffice to identify 

 them : 



Primaries with pale rufous bars on their outer webs. C. commums. 



Primaries ivithout pale rufous bars on their outer webs. C, coromandelica. 

 Top of head brown, the feathers edged paler ; a mesial buffy line on the 

 crown ; supercilium pale yellowish white, reaching above the ear coverts, 

 which are partially brown ; lores and a line below the eye white ; sides of the 

 neck white ; two narrow blackish lines from the sides of the neck to below 

 the throat, the interspace being white ; the upper black band not always 



