106 PHASIAMDJE. 



The birds near Mussooree as observed by Hatton and others 

 occurred in small coveys of six to ten, that kept to high grass and 

 scrub, fed on seeds of grass, were difficult TO flush, and had a 

 shrill whistling note when flushed. They appeared to arrive 

 about November, but in one case stayed as late as June, after 

 which they disappeared. 



Genus GALLOPERDIX, Blyth, 1844. 



The Spur-fowls, as they are commonly called in India, have some- 

 what the appearance of Partridges, to which they approximate in 

 size, but the longer tail, more rounded wings, and the wide differ- 

 ence in the coloration between the sexes indicate relationship with 

 the Pheasants and Jungle-fowls. 



In GaUoperdix the tarsus is longer than the middle toe and claw, 

 and bears two or three spurs in the male (even four on one leg 

 have been found in G. spadicea} ; it is frequently unarmed in the 

 female, but sometimes bears one spur or occasionally two, there 

 being generally in that case two spurs on one leg, one on the 

 other. The 1st primary is shorter than the 1 Oth, 5th or 6th generally 

 longest. The tail, of 14 feathers and considerably rounded at the 

 end, is two-thirds or more than two-thirds as long as the wing. 

 A large naked space around the eye. 



Three species are known, all confined to India and Ceylon. 

 None occurs east of the Bay of Bengal or west of the Indus. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Two or three spurs on each tarsus. 



a . Breast chiefly chestnut or rufous G. spadicea c?, p. 107. 



b'. Breast buff with black spots G. lunulata <5 ? P- 108. 



c'. Breast chiefly white G. bicalcarata <5 , 



b. No spurs, or one on each leg, or two on [p. 101). 



one leg and one on the other. 

 d'. Breast chestnut, with black tips and 



feathers G. spadicea , p. 107. 



e' . Breast ochreous brown G. lunulata $ , p. 1C8. 



/'. Breast chestnut without black tips .... G. bicalcarata $ , 



[p. 110. 



1349. GaUoperdix spadicea. The Red Spur-fowl. 



Tetrao spadiceus, Gmel. Syst. Nat. \, pt. 2, p. 759 (1788). 

 Galloperdix epadiceue, Blyth) Cat. p. 241 ; Jerdon, B. I. iii, p. 541 ; 



p. 225 ; Hume $ Marsh. Game E. i, p. 247 ; Hume, Cat. no. 814 ; 

 Vidal, S. F. ix p. 76 ; Damson, S. F. x, p. 410 : Taylor, ibid. p. 464 : 

 Terry, ibid. p. 479 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 305 ; Gates in Hume's 

 N. fy E. 2nd ed. iii, p. 423 ; Davidson, Jour. Bom. N. H. Soc. vi, 

 p. 340. 



Galloperdix spadicea, Blyth, Ibis, 1867, p. 157 ; Blanf. J. A. S. B. 

 xxxviii, pt. 2, p. 189 ; Ogilvie Grant, Cat. B. M. xxii, p. 261. 



