4. JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL AIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIII. 
whilst in front it was brought down and across the entrance so as to 
make a regular little tunnel to the nest, sometimes nearly a foot in 
length. How the growing grass was made to serve its purpose I 
could never quite make out, as it did not appear to be interwoven so 
much as matted down until it fitted into position, it really looked as if 
one bird had stood below to fashion the tunnel, whilst the other had 
beaten the grass down above its companion. I only noticed nests of 
this kind when they were made in growing grass, and I never saw a 
domed nest made when the material had to be brought to the nest for 
the purpose of making the sides and roof. 
The hen bird sits very close, and the Nagas always assured me that 
they could make sure of catching her on the nest once they had found 
it, certainly they generally brought me in the hen bird with her eggs 
whenever these were brought in for me. I do not think the cock 
bird assists in the incubation, but he may do so at night, as do so many 
other cock birds amongst the Pigeons, etc. When his wife is sitting, 
he is generally to be found somewhere round about in the immediate 
vicinity, and I think these birds pair for life, as the same pair may be 
seen year after year breeding in the same locality, if they are not 
disturbed. A pair bred thus in a ravine quite close to my house at 
Gunjong in N. Cachar. The first year the Nagas took the eggs, but 
after I had forbidden this and let the hen bird loose when she was 
brought to me, the partridges continued to breed for three more years 
in the same spot, one year rearing two broods of four, all ten birds 
being found together constantly throughout the following winter. 
The eggs of this bird are just like those of A. r. rufogularis, pure 
white, rather glossy, and generally broad ovals, pyriform in shape, but 
not peg top. The smaller ends are nearly always very pomted, and 
sometimes rather compressed. Narrower oval eggs are not uncommon, 
and exceptionally broad ones about equal numerically. 
The average of 100 eggs is 37°4 by 28°0 mm. 
The longest and broadest measures 43°0 by 32°0 mm., and the short- 
est and most narrow 33°4 by 26°6 mm. ; in both cases the two greatest 
and least measurements being obtained in the same individual egg. 
The number of eggs in a clutch is undoubtedly most often 4, some- 
times 5, and very rarely more. It is possible that on the rare occasions 
on which 7 and 8 have been taken they are the production of two hens 
with one husband. I have frequently seen 3 eggs incubated, though 
these have generally been taken very late or very early in the season. 
General Habits —This very pretty little Partridge may be found in 
practically any kind of cover, whether evergreen forest, deciduous 
Oak, etc., Pine forest with but little undergrowth, dense secondary 
srowth or any kind of Bamboo jungle. It does not venture much 
into the open, except early in the mornings and evenings for feeding, 
but at these times it may often be found at the edges of cultivation 
clearings, more especially in long rice, cotton or mustard crops. It 
