160 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 
“The plumage of this Volga specimen on the upper parts 
is almost exactly like yours, including the barring on the tail, 
but on the under surface there is more white on the breast 
and abdomen than in your bird, and the brown patches on these 
parts are smaller; but this does not go for much, as in B. 
desertorum it is rare to see two individuals exactly alike in 
the markings of the under surface, and I, therefore, do not 
attach much importance to the fact that all our Norwich speci- 
mens differ more or less in this respect from your bird, some 
being more white coloured on the under surface and some less 
so, besides many variations of tint or of the shape of the 
markings. I incline to think that your bird may be a very 
small example of B. desertorum, but if others should be here- 
after obtained equally small, I should look upon it as a distinct 
sub-species. I may add that females of B. desertorum usually 
measure in the wing over 15 inches, and we have one that 
measures over 16 inches. So far as I can judge from our 
specimens, the style of colouring and markings in your small 
bird comes nearer to B. desertorum than to B. plumipes.” 
Hetters to the Editor. 
Sir 
I write to inform you that a very fine Likh Florican, 
in full breeding plumage, has just been shot in the lowland by 
the race course below my house. A pair were flushed together, 
but the hen escaped. I am in one sense very sorry that the 
bird was shot, as they were doubtless breeding ; but imprimis, 
the business may have been concluded, and the female may 
now carry it on alone; and in secundis, I doubt if the brood 
could be reared in the locality, as it will be put under water 
next month. Ihave begged the sportsmen to spare the bird 
if she be flushed again. But the Rain Quail are in thousands 
there, and there are half a dozen guns out morning and 
evening, so I fear she has but little chance if she stays on 
this side. 
The ear-plumes are fully five inches long. 
A. M. Marguam. 
ALLAHABAD, 16th July 1881. 
Sir, 
As the distribution of the Painted Francolin is still a 
little uncertain, I think it may be worth recording that I came 
across a good lot of them this year at Karli in the Western 
