312 JO UENAL, BOMB A Y NA TUBAL HISTOR Y SOCIETY, Vol. X. 



March to September. Seven eggs measured average l|g" X l^", 

 and vary considerably from 1|" to 1^^" in length, by 1^" to 

 1^" in breadth. Most eggs are covered with a profusion of small 

 chalky white specks, but in some these are almost entirely absent. 

 Personally I have not found more than two eggs in a nest, though 

 I have once seen three chicks with a hen. The nests are mere 

 scratchings in the ground in jungle, with only a leaf or two for 



lining. 



138. Francolinus pictus, Blyth, the Painted Partridge.— Scarce, 

 and is, in this neighbourhood, unfortunately getting scarcer. The 

 reason is probably partly due to the damage done to its nests and young 

 by the periodical patna fires which I have mentioned, and partly 

 owing to the cock-bird's fatal habit of crowing from the top of 

 a rock or ant-hill. Unfortunately powder and shot are now 

 so cheap that the native no longer restricts himself to deer and 

 pig as formerly, and when once the francolin has given himself 

 away by crowing, the stealthy-footed native gunner finds it easy to 

 stalk him. However, in another part of the province I knew of 4^ 

 brace being bagged by two guns last season in a morning's shooting 

 over dogs. 



139. Perdicula asiatica, Gould, the Jungle Bush-quail. — Com- 

 mon up to 3,000 feet. A bevy when flushed scatter in all directions, 

 but if you remain quiet after a minute you hear their peculiar ventrilo- 

 quistic " tirri-tirri-tirri " sounding from all sides : presently it ceases, 

 and if you beat about, up get the whole bevy again as if they had 

 never been dispersed. I have failed to get a nest, but I have seen a 

 hen with a large brood of tiny cheeping chicks in June. 



140. Coturnix chinensis, Blyth, the Blue-breasted Quail. — Com- 

 mon in suitable, i. ^., damp, localities. Not at all a bird of the dry 

 patnas like T. taigoor and P. asiatica. It breeds in the rank grass 

 growing at the edges of paddy fields, and on the bunds which separate 

 the terraces. I have taken nests in March, April, and May. The 

 largest clutch was nine, taken on March 13th ; but as two eggs seem 

 rather larger and less speckled than the others, the nest was 

 probably a joint stock concern. The next largest clutch of eggs 

 taken numbered seven. The eggs are olive-brown, finely speckled 

 all over with roddish-brown spots. 



