CALLING. 303 



white, ^ striated with black ; the middle-coverts deep blue ; the 

 primaries and tail chesnut ; abdomen and vent black, the train 

 chiefly green, beautifully ocellated ; the thigh-coverts yellowish- 

 grey ; head, with a crest of about twenty-four feathers only, 

 webbed at the tip, and green with blue and gold reflections. 



The Peahen is chestnut brown about the head and nape ; the 

 neck greenish, edged with pale whity-brown ; the upper plumage 

 light hair-brown, with faint wavings, increased on the upper tail- 

 coverts ; quills brown, some of the wing-coverts mottled dusky 

 and whitish ; tail deep brown with whitish tips ; chin and throat 

 W 7 hite ; breast as in the neck ; abdomen white, with the lower 

 parts and under tail-coverts brown. Length, 38 to 40 ; wing, 

 16 ; tail, 14. The crest is shorter and duller in its tints. 



The Peacock is not indigenous to Sind, but has been intro- 

 duced, and appears to be in some portions of the country fairly 

 naturalized. In all other places within our limits the Peacock 

 is fairly common or would be if it was not so persecuted by 

 shikariea. 



It is a permanent resident breeding during the rains; the 

 hen scratches a depression in the soil which she lines with a few 

 leaves, generally under cover. The eggs, six or eight in number, 

 are broad oval in shape, creamy white or pale pinkish cafe-au- 

 lait color. They are closely pitted over their whole surface 

 with minute pores. They measure 274 inches in length by 2'05 

 in breadth. 



SUB-FAMILY, Gallinse. 



Head sometimes furnished with fleshy crest and wattles, or 

 crested, or sub-crested ; tail usually of fourteen feathers, com- 

 pressed, and more or less divaricate, held demi-erect ; the upper 

 tail-coverts in the males are (typically) elongated and pendent. 



GENUS, Gallus, Lin. 



Head furnished with a crest of skin ; the face nude and also with 

 a loose lappet or wattle ; tarsus of the male strongly spurred ; 

 the spur long and strongly curved ; tail of fourteen feathers, com- 

 pressed, divaricated, with the median feathers lengthened, curved 

 and drooping, held semi-erect ; the backs of the feathers facing 

 each other ; the upper tail-coverts lengthened and curved ; 

 feathers of the neck hackled, lanceolate. 



Gallup Gm. 



812. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p 537 ; Game Birds of 



India, Vol. I, p. 217. 



THE RED JUNGLE FOWL. Yy > 



(?. Length, 25'0 to 28'2 ; expanse, 27 to 29'5 ; wing, 812 to / Y&6 

 9'5 ; tail, 11-25 to 14'3 ; tarsus, 3 to 312 ; bill from gape, 119 to I/ 



1-37 ; weight, 1| Ibs. to 2J Ibs. 



