TURNIX. 569 



Jerd., B. Ind. ii. p. 597, No. 833. Turnix pugnax (Tem?n.\ Hume, Str. F. 

 iii. p. 178; id., Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 553. Turnix taigoor, Sykes, 

 Trans. Zool. Soc. 2, pi. ; Jerd., B. Ind. iii. p. 595, No. 832 ; Hume and 

 Marsh., Game Birds ii. p. 169, pi. The INDO-MALAYAN BUSTARD QUAIL. 



Above rufous with transverse black lines and pale yellow streaks ; below 

 rufescent or pale ferruginous, becoming chestnut on the flanks and undertail 

 coverts ; the foreneck, breast and sides of the body liinated with black. 



The female is a much larger bird, and the plumage is darker; the crown and 

 sides of the head, the sides and back of the neck are spotted with white ; 

 chin, throat and breast black ; sides of the breast and body lunated with 

 black, Legs and feet plumbeous or pale leaden ; irides pearly grey. 



Length. 5 6 to 6-25 ; wing 3-12 to 3*5; tail ro to 1*4; tarsus 0*95 to 

 ri2 ; bill from gape 07 to O'8i. 



Hal. Throughout India nearly (except Sind, Kathiawar and Jodhpoor* 

 and other similar dry places), extending to Ceylon, Burmahj the Malay Penin- 

 sula, Siam, and Cochin-China. It frequents gardens, land covered with grass, 

 also bushes, roadsides, &c. Breeds in July and August, wherever it occurs, 

 laying 4 6 eggs, of a stone grey colour, irrorated with small specks of brown 

 interspersed with larger spots of a neutral tint. 



It will be seen that I have made T. taigoor a synonym of T. plumbipes, 

 There can be no doubt of both species being identical ; the rufous tint of the 

 Malayan race can only be considered as climatic. There are no other 

 characters which could be considered sufficient to warrant a separation. 



1240. Turnix joudera Hodgs., Beng. Sport. Mag. 1838, pi. i, 



fig. I; Jerd., B, Ind. iii. p. 599, No. 834; Str. F. vii. p. 453; Hume, 

 Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 556; id. and Marsh., Game Birds ii. p. 187, pi. 

 Turnix Dussumieri, apud. Jerd., viii. p. 599. The INDIAN BUTTON QUAIL. 



Male. Top of head light brown with a faint longitudinal streak on the 

 crown ; back of neck, back and scapulars ferruginous brown, the feathers 

 behind the head with dark spots, and those of the back, scapulars and under 

 tail coverts with narrow transverse striae, distinct on the lower part of the 

 back ; scapulars with a few white spots or edgings to the feathers ; wing 

 coverts pale earthy brown, the tips broadly white, each with a dark ocelli in 

 the centre ; primaries pale earthy brown, narrowly edged with pale white ; 

 chin and upper throat white ; middle of breast ferruginous, the sides of the 

 breast like the scapulars, with white tipped feathers, in the middle of which is 

 a dark spot ; under parts ferruginous ; vent whitish. 



Length. 5-5 to 6 inches ; wing 275 ; bill at front 0-43. 



Hab. Sind, Punjab, N.-W. Provinces, Oudh, Bengal, Rajputana, Kutch, 

 Guzerat, Deccan, South India ; Kutch, Kattiawar, N. Guzerat, Rajputana and 

 Punjab during the rains j rare in the Deccan and sparingly distributed in 

 VOL. II. 74 



