178 Manual of the Game Birds of India. 



generally perfect ellipses in shape, but 

 sometimes rather more pointed at one 

 end than at the other. They are creamy 

 white or pale buff, and sometimes very 

 pale greenish. They measure from r6 

 to i '8 in length, and from 1*3 to 1*4 in 

 breadth. 



The adult male has the chin, a line 

 bordering the bill, and a patch round the 

 eye black. A broad, brilliant green or 

 purple band extends from the eye back- 

 wards along the side of the neck. With 

 the above exceptions, the head is of a 

 rich chestnut, which colour extends half- 

 way down the neck. A pale narrow line 

 borders the green band on the head, both 

 above and below, the two meeting in front 

 of the eye, whence the line is produced 

 in a crescentic form to the angle of the 

 gape and round the black of the chin. 

 The lower neck, the whole mantle, the 

 sides of the breast and the inner scapulars 

 are closely vermiculated with black and 

 greyish white. The outer scapulars are 

 rich cream-colour, broadly bordered with 

 deep black on the outer web. The 

 back and rump are ashy brown, with 

 darker centres to the feathers. The 

 upper tail-coverts and the tail-feathers are 

 dark brown, margined with ashy. The 



