200 OTIDID.E. 



it chiefly inhabits the Peninsula ^outh of the Godavari in winter, 

 whilst it breeds in the Deccan, Western Central Provinces, Central 

 Indian Agency, Bajputana, South-eastern Punjab, Guzerat, Cutch, 

 and even in Southern Sind. Some birds are permanent residents 

 almost throughout the Peninsula. Stragglers have been met 

 with near Gwadar in Biluchistan, and in Oudh and the N.W. 

 Provinces, Nepal, Bengal, Chutia Nagpur, Orissa (I once shot a 

 bird not far from C attack), and on the Malabar coast. One 

 specimen is on record shot at Sandoway, Arrakan ; but the bird 

 is not found in Ceylon, nor, with the exception mentioned, is it 

 known to occur east of the Bay of Bengal. 



Habits, 6fc. The smaller Floxican or Likh is, as a rule, found 

 solitary or in pairs in grass of moderate height, or occasionally in 

 growing crops ; it keeps to plains and open country, and is very 

 rarely met with on the hills. Although a migrant to a certain 

 extent, its migrations are confined to India. It feeds, like other 

 Bustards, on seeds and insects. It flies well, with a quicker 

 flight than other Bustards, having, when flying, a slight but 

 peculiar resemblance to a Duck. Floricans pair and breed in 

 grass, their presence being betrayed in the breeding-season by the 

 males jumping above the grass every now and then with a peculiar 

 croak. The breeding-season is from August to November, chiefly 

 in September and October to the northward ; but earlier, even in 

 April or May, in parts of Southern India. The eggs, usually 3 or 4 

 in number, deposited in a hollow in the ground, are light greenish 

 olive to olive-brown in colour, variously mottled and blotched, and 

 measure about 1*88 by 1*6. 



The numbers of this bird are being greatly reduced by the 

 unsportsmanlike practice of shooting it in the breeding-season. 

 It is excellent eating, though inferior to S. benyalensis. 



1417. Sypheotis foengalensis. The Bengal Florican. 



Otis bengalensia, Gm. Syst. Nat. i,p. 724 (1788) ; Hodgson, J. A. S. B. 



xvi, p. 883, pis. 37, 88. 



Sypheotides beng-alensis, Blylh, Cat. p. 258 ; Jerdon, B. 1. iii, p. 010 ; 

 * Blythj Ibis, 1867, p. 162 ; Godw.-Anst. J. A. S. . xlv, pt. 2, p. 84 ; 



xlvii, pt. 2, p. 21 ; Sims&n, Ibis, 1882, p. 94. 

 Sypheotis beniralensis, Bonap. C. R. xliii, p. 416 (18o6) : Ifwne t 



N. $ E. p. 659; Hume $ Marsh. Game B. i, p. 23; iii, p. 424; 



Hume, Cat. no. 838; id. S. F. ix, p. 199; Markham, ibid. ; Butler, 



S. F. x, p. 162 ; Hume # Cripps, S. F. xi, p. 312 j Gates in Hume's 



N. $ E. 2nd ed. iii, p. 378. 

 Houbaropsis beng-alensis, Sharjte, Cat. B. M. xxiii, p. 315. 



Charas, Charf, Charat, H. ; Dahar, Ablak <5 , JBor $ , Terai ; Ulit 

 Mora, Assamese. 



Coloration. Female (and, according to some r male in winter 

 plumage). Upper parts sandy buff, mottled and blotched with 

 blackish brown or black ; crown mostly black with a pale mesial 

 streak ; hind neck finely speckled with black and with pale shaft- 

 stripes ; back, scapulars, and tertiaries black, with buff V-shaped 

 markings and mottling ; rump and upper tail-coverts more uniform, 



