THE GAME BIRDS Oj: INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 72."- 



the above measurements is an abnormally small bird with a wing of 

 only 6-85". It may be noticed that I have not given measurements 

 either of length or expanse in describing this or any other bird, 

 but I have omitted these measurements intentionally as they 

 depend far too much upon every individual sportsman's way of 

 measuring and the extent to which wings and neck are stretched 

 during the operation. 



Adult female. — Forehead, crown and occiput black, the feathers 

 more or less tipped with buff and the inner webs of the central 

 feathers also buff, forming a well defined mesial streak ; lores, 

 fairlj^ well defined supercilium and post orbital region buff with a 

 few black specks and a line of black specks running under the ej^e; 

 sides of head and ear coverts buff, immaculate or with a few fine 

 specks only ; chin, throat and sometimes the region below the ear- 

 coverts white. Posterior aspect of the neck buff, finely vermiculat- 

 ed with black, or dark brown, anterior aspect buff, with broad 

 splashes of black forming two broad streaks down to the breast ^ 

 sides of the neck next the shoidders with similar streaks ; breast 

 buff with bold black markings and freckles, the latter often 

 forming crescentic marks. Remainder of lower parts buff, often 

 almost white, the flanks more or less freckled and barred with 

 blackish and the innermost axillaries black. 



Back, scapulars, rump and upper tail coverts buff, each feather 

 with a broad central spear head of black, surrounded with buff. 

 These marks disappear on the rump which is more indefinitely 

 marked. Tail, like the back but without the spear head marks and 

 with four broad bands of black. Quills of the wing as in the male. 

 A¥ing coverts buff, the outer sparsety barred with brown or black, 

 the inner and smaller profusely barred and to some extent freckled 

 with black. 



Wing 8-25" to 9-75" ; tarsus 3-55" to 3-85" ; bill at front 

 1-45" to 1-65" ; tail about 4-5". 



" Female. — Length 18 to 21-4 ; expanse 29 to 36; wing 9*0 to 

 9-75 ; tail 4-7 to 5-0 ; tarsus 3-9 to 4-4 ; bill from gape 2-28 to 2-3. 

 Weight 1 lb. 2 ozs. to 1 lb. 10 ozs." (Hume). 



There are several females in the British Museum collection with 

 wing under 9", but these are probably young birds. Fully adult 



