THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 323 



are very thick and strong, closely resembling those of the Sarus 

 in texture, and like those of this latter species, the eggs very 

 commonly exhibit pimples and rugosities at the large end, so 

 much so that, out of sixty eggs now before me, only seven are 

 perfect!}- free from such imperfections. Some of the eggs are 

 dull and with little gloss, the whole surface being closely pitted 

 with small pores similar to, but fewer than, those in the Peafowl's 

 Qgg, while other specimens are brilliantly glossy. The ground 

 colour varies much. Typically it is a sort of drab colour, but it is 

 often earthy brown, dingy olive green, pale olive brown, pale 

 reddish brown, and, although rarely, even pale leaden blue. The 

 markings vary in extent, number and intensity ; sometimes they 

 are pretty deep reddish brown and clearly marked blotches, but 

 more usiially they are pale reddish brown clouds and streaks, 

 sometimes so faint as to be mere mottlings, and sometimes, though 

 rarely, altogether wanting. Occasionally, the markings form an 

 irregular blotchy cap at the large end. 



" Out of sixty eggs in my collection, no two are precisely alike. 

 In length they vary from 2*75 to 3*42 and in breadth from 2*05 to 

 2-45, but the average of sixty eggs is 3-11 by 2-24." 



I have in my collection a very fine series of eggs of this species 

 taken by Mr. Harrington Bulkley and the times at which these 

 eggs were found extend considerably the period given, as above, 

 by Hume. The majority were taken in August and September, 

 but many were taken in October and one in November. On the 

 other hand 1 have three Deccan eggs taken in June and an Q^g 

 from Cutch taken in January. Then I have records of eggs from 

 Poona in April ; Sholapur, April and May ; and Guzerat, June and 

 November. I have, therefore, eggs actually in my collection, or 

 authentic records of eggs, taken in every month of the year except 

 December, February and March. I think we may say that, very 

 roughly speaking, the Great Indian Bustard breeds principally 

 from August to November, but that many birds breed earlier and 

 later than this, and that the breeding season varies very much in 

 difierent localities, these not necessarily very far apart. 



As to the number of eggs laid there is little to add to what 

 Hume has noted. Undoubtedly the number normally laid is only 



