THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA. 



white. Vent, posterior, abdomen and flanks dnllt earth-brown with 

 white spots. Under tail-coverts blackish-brown with grey tips. 



The extent to which individual variation is found is in the pro- 

 portionate amount of black and white on the feathers of the breast 

 and lower paits and in the amount of vermiculation on the back 

 rump and upper tail-coverts. 



Colours of Soft Parts. — " Iris brownish-yellow or brownish-red ; 

 orbital skin red; bill, legs and feet red; spurs dusky reddish." 

 (Legge.; 



Measurements. — "Length, 13-5 to lo-8 inches." ( Legge.) 

 Wing, 151 to 174 mm., average of 20 specimens, 164 mm,, tail 

 121 to 130 mm. ; tarsus, 54 to 57 mm. ; bill at front about 22 mm,, 

 and from gape about 25 mm. The spurs run up to about 20 mm., 

 and are more generalh* about 12-15 mm. 



I can find no records of weight. 



There are usually two spurs on each leg, sometimes onl}^ one on 

 one, and sometimes as many as three. 



Adult Female. — Crown blackish-brown, the feathers of forehead 

 and sides with paler centres ; sides of the head diill chestnut, the 

 feathers black-edged. Whole upper plumage and wing-coverts 

 diTll chestnut vermiculated with black, most profusely so on the 

 longest upper tail-coverts. Tail black, the two central pairs of 

 feathers faintly vermiculated Avith chestnut. 



Quills brown, the secondaries all vermiculated with chestnut on 

 the outer webs, and the innermost on both webs. 



Below, chestnut, practically immaculate on the breast, and more 

 and more vermiculated with dark brown towards the vent. Vent, 

 posterior, abdomen and flanks earthy chestnut ; under tail-coverts 

 darker chestnut, densely vermiculated with black. 



Colours of Soft Parts. — "Iris brownish-yellow; bill, legs and 

 feet lighter red than in the males." (Legge.) 



Measurements. — " Length, 11-75 inches." (Legge.) 



Wing, 143 to 150 mm., average 8 specimens, 146 mm. ; tail, 

 108 to 110mm. ; tarsus, 46 to 48mm. ; bill from front about 18mm. 

 and fi'om gape about 22 mm. 



The spurs are small, seldom as much as 12-5 mm., and niTmber 

 either one or two on each leg, sometimes, however, wanting on one 

 or both legs. Wait says that the females are generally without spurs, 

 but this is not so with the British Museum series. 



Distribution. — This Spur-Fowl is found only in Ceylon, and only 

 in those portions which are well forested and have an ample rain-fall. 

 Thus it is very common in the South- Western portion, more or less 

 common in the West and East, but is not found in the extreme 

 North-West nor in the North-Eastern portion of the island. 



Nidiflcation. — The breeding season of the Ceylon Spur-Fowl 

 lasts almost throughout the year. Wait says that it appears to be 



