LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 429 
September I notice that few old cocks are shot, all being hens 
and young birds, so presume they leave first, leaving the hens 
and broods to follow. These birds, for the purpose of breeding, 
do not here appear to go inland more than twenty miles from 
the Coast, and the greater number not more than ten miles. 
Grey Quail,—These are fewer in Mysore than in any part of 
India I have visited. About Tunkur and Chittaldroog occa- 
sionally they are in some numbers, but anything like a bag of 
Quail is rarely made in Mysore. 2 
I forgot to mention that some Rain Quail remain all the year 
round in Mysore. 
Sandgrouse.—I shot four brace of Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse in 
the hills near Karachi last October, and a few days ago shot 
several Pterocles coronatus in the western desert: near the hills; 
they were in flocks of from six to twenty, and very tame; very 
different tothe P. arenarius which I find to be one of the most 
difficult birds to approach 1 know. 
J. M. AnpErson, Lr.-Cot., 
Supt., Sind Survey, 
Sir, 
Wue out shooting this past week on the Mala swamp 
and along the forest edge about three to four miles east of it, in 
the Philibhit district, we shot five brace of the Red Spur Fowl 
in the small detached thickets and brakes. One hen* we shot 
had no spur at all. 
As I had not your “ Game Birds” out with me, I did not know 
that the breed as a rule did not appear so far west as the Mala, 
or I should have kept a skin, especially of the spurless hen. 
I heard of them east of the Mala, at Richowla, about six miles 
due east of Philibhit (city). 
They were locally known as Lal tita, and Murghi ’en. 
Another name is Chakoé, chakoé, and others again call it the 
Ko-kyah, or bad Swamp Partridge. 
Their habits are vile, as they won’t break, and always fly 
back through the beaters, if there is another thicket within 
20 or 30 yards, and if they are very hard pressed, we found 
they would sometimes make an effort to get away. 
One pair I found in a tree after furious driving, and they had 
been put up several times. 
Their note I heard three times, when they were a bit pressed. 
It sounded like coo, coo, coo, coooh very low. 
ae W. C. PLowpen;, 
Sth B.C. 
17th March 1883. 
* Hens often do not get the spurs till they are nearly two years_old.—Eb., 8, Fy 
