Bush-Quails. 105 



of Chutia Nagpur, another the Bastar 

 State, and the third a point below the 

 Pachmarhi hills. These are roughly the 

 limits as at present known, but there is 

 no doubt that its range will be found to 

 be much wider than above indicated. 



Mr. F. R. Blewitt, who was the first 

 to bring this bird to the notice of Mr. 

 Hume, says : " This Quail is invariably 

 found associated in coveys of from four 

 to a dozen and even more. A bevy will, 

 when suddenly alarmed, rise altogether, 

 but, owing to their softer plumage, with 

 a less noisy whirr than the other Bush- 

 Quails. Indeed, in its habits, this species 

 is identical with the others ; if there is a 

 difference, it is in the call note, which in 

 M. blewitti is more soft and melodious." 



Mr. R. Thompson informs us that this 

 Bush-Quail affects lands covered with tall 

 grass on the banks of nallas and rivers. 



The nest and eggs of this bird have 

 not yet been described. 



The male resembles the male Painted 

 Bush-Quail very closely, but differs in 

 having the white band across the crown 

 much broader than the black band on the 

 forehead. The lower plumage is a paler 

 chestnut, and the feathers of the. breast 

 are so broadly fringed with pinkish grey 



