8 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABGO 
that he was caught as he did not move off the eggs until I 
frightened him. The nest consisted of a small saucer-shaped 
hole scratched under a low tuft of grass growing in an 
open field with scarcely another blade of grass near it. It 
was lined witha thin loose pad of short pieces of dry grass 
and thin bits of stick and fell to pieces in my hand. The eggs 
are perfect miniature pegtops, being almost round at the large 
end and very pointed at the small. They are remarkably 
large for the size of the bird, of a dirty stone color densely 
covered with brown and yellow specks having good sized blackish 
spots and blotches sparingly scattered over the shell as well 
principally towards the large end. A few inky purple mark- 
ings, as if below the outer surface of the shell, are also visible. 
An equal mixture of mustard, salt and pepper would give one 
a good idea of the general color of the egg. They have 
scarcely any gloss. 
[Stoliczka obtained this in Cutch. I have neither seen nor 
heard of it from Sindh or Jodhpoor, or even Kattiawar, though it 
is probable that it occurs in the castern portions at any rate 
of this latter.—A. O. H.] 
834.—Turnix joudera, Hodgs. T. Dussumierti, apud 
Jerd nec Tem. 
The large Button Quail occurs all over the plains wherever 
there is long grass and scrub jungle intermixed. It is parti- 
cularly plentiful in the neighbourhood of Deesa where I had 
every opportunity of watching it closely and observing its 
habits. It is almost always found singly except in the breed- 
ing season, when it may often be seen in pairs. I found a 
nest near Deesa onthe 15th July 1875, containing four 
slightly incubated eggs. It was composed of soft blades of 
dry grass, reminding one of the nest of a field mouse and 
many half-covered nests which I have seen of Mirafra can- 
tillans—the entrance hole being on one side and extending 
nearly to the top of the nest. It was placed at the foot of a 
tussock of coarse grass in a preserve, and the old bird allowed 
me to put my foot within a few inches of her before she 
flew off. After leaving the nest she fluttered along the ground 
for four or five yards, and then feigned lameness, broken 
wings, &c., like other members of the family. 
I snared her at the nest when she returned shortly after- 
wards. The eggs are very handsome and considerably smaller 
than those of the preceding species. They are of a dirty 
yellowish white color thickly speckled, spotted and blotched 
all over with brownish black with occasional spots and mark- 
ings. of inky purple and palish or dingy yellow, the whole 
