JOURNAL 



OF THE 



Bombay Natural History Society. 



Sept. 1915. Vol. XXIV. No. 1. 



THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 



BY 



E. 0. Stuart Baker, F.L.S., F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 

 Part XVII.* 



Ovdiex—GALLINM. 



The Order Gallince contains the whole of the true land game birds, 

 inclnding the Megapodes, or Monnd Birds, but exchiding those land 

 birds already dealt with in the previous volume. In the present 

 order will be found the Peafowl, Jungle Fowl, Pheasants, Spur 

 Fowl, Partridges, Quails and Megapodes, all represented in India, 

 and GroiTse, Turkeys, Guinea Fowl, Curassows and Guans, of which 

 we have no representatives, and none of which with the exception of 

 the first named are ever found in Asia. 



All the Genera, as contained in this order, are birds with strong, 

 well-built legs, well fitted for progress on the ground ; the tarsus is 

 frequently ftirnished with one or more spurs, in some cases on that 

 of the male only, and in others on the tarsi of both sexes. The hallux, 

 or hind-toe is always present, and the nails or claws are, in all but 

 the MegaiMcliidce, short, blunt and very strong, and almost straight 

 on their lower surface. The bill is short and stout, and, on the 

 Avhole, very constant in shape. The wings are rather short and 

 rounded, the first primary either shorter or very little longer, than 

 the tenth or last. The fifth secondary is always present. 



The great majority of these birds lay on the ground, but the 

 Tragopans nest on trees, and the Megapodes make huge mounds in 

 which they bury their eggs. The young are hatched covered with 

 down or feathers, and can run about almost immediately after leav- 

 ing the Qgg. 



* The instalment of this paper which appeared in the last Journal was through 

 a clerical error headed Part XVII instead of Part XVI, — Editors. 



