STPHEOTIS. 190 



Likh, Chota Charat, Barsdti or Kala, H. ; Ker mor, Guzerat ; Tan-mar, 

 Mahr. ; Chini mor, Belgaum ; Khartitar, Bhil ; Charas, Chulla Charas, H. 

 (S. India) ; Niala Nimili, Tel. ; Kannoul, Can. ; Warrayu Roli, Tain. 



Fig. 42. Head of 8. aurifa, - |. 



Coloration. Female and male in winter plumage. Crown black, 

 more or less streaked with buff, and generally with a pale mesial 

 band ; back of neck finely vermiculated or speckled buff and 

 black ; sides of head and neck buff, with coarser black marks ; 

 back, scapulars, and tertiaries black mottled with sandy buff, and 

 with a V-shaped buff streak, more or less distinct, near the margin 

 of each feather ; wing-coverts chiefly sandy buff, with irregular 

 black bars ; first two or three primaries uniform dark brown, the 

 other primaries becoming more and more banded with ochreous 

 yellow, which is mottled with black towards the tips of the 

 feathers ; secondaries dark brown, with broad mottled bands 

 throughout ; tail yellow-buff with black bars, and mottled with 

 black towards the tips, middle feathers mottled throughout ; chin 

 and throat white ; fore neck and upper breast buff, with black 

 streaks that become fainter on the latter ; lower breast, abdomen, 

 and lower tail-coverts buffy white ; axillaries black. 



Male in breeding-plumage. A few (usunlly three on each side) 

 narrow ribbon-like feathers about 4 inches long, spatulate towards 

 the ends and curved upwards from behind the ear-coverts. Head, 

 neck, and lower parts black, except the chin and a varying portion 

 of the throat, which are white ; band across the hind neck at the 

 base white ; back, scapulars, and tertiaries black, with fine whitish 

 mottling and V-shaped marks, the black disappearing on the wing- 

 coverts, which are mainly white ; the larger primary and the tips 

 of the larger secondary coverts black ; quills as in the female : 

 rump and upper tail-coverts black finely speckled with white ; 

 tail pale, whitish and mottled with black at the end, buff towards 

 base, with distant black bars throughout. 



The male, after the breeding-season, moults into the female 

 plumage, but retains some white on the shoulder of the wing. 



Bill dusky above, the edges of the upper and all the lower 

 mandible yellowish ; irides pale yellow, clouded with dusky in the 

 male ; legs dirty whitish yellow (Jerdon). 



Length of male 18 ; tail 3'5 : wing 7'75 ; tarsus 3'5 ; bill from 

 gape 2. Females are considerably larger : length 20 ; tail 4-5 ; 

 wing 9*5 ; tarsus 3'75. 



Distribution. This Florican may be found at times in suitable 

 places throughout India from the Himalayas to Cape Coraorin, but 



