THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA. 15 



The Young Male, and Female resemble the adult female, but are 

 much duller. Above, the whole plumage is much freckled and 

 weakly barred with dull black and rufous brown, and the tail and 

 inner secondaries are chestnut brown, distinctl}- barred with black. 

 Below, the whole surface is brownish, and the breast is no more 

 chestnut than the rest of the plumage, but is more or less freckled 

 with dull pale bufl. 



The Chick in Down is a rich chestnut rufous above, the head and 

 a broad dorsal line darkest and brightest; below, a dull pale earth- 

 brown, more chestnut on throat, upper breast, flanks, thighs and 

 vent. The wing and tail feathers, when they appear, are dull 

 rufous brown, vermiculated with black and with a few tin}'- buff 

 ocelli on scapulars and innermost wing-coverts. 



Distribution. — The distribution of the Painted Spur-Fowl is 

 practically the same as that of the Red Spur-Fowl. Roughly to the 

 North its boundaries are the Sind, Jumna and Ganges rivers, west- 

 wards it is found as far as the Eastern slopes of the coastal Hill 

 Ranges, but not apparently on the Malabar coast itself or in 

 Western Travancore, though it is found in suitable places through- 

 out Coimbatore and Mj^sore. On the East it extends right up to 

 the coast wherever the country is suitable. 



Nidification. — There is not much on record about the breeding of 

 this very common bird, and more detailed information is wanted. 

 The breeding season appears to extend from February to June, the 

 principal months being April and early May. It is of course resi- 

 dent wherever found, and breeds throughout the area it inhabits. 

 The nest is the usual scrape, natural, or made by the birds, under 

 the shelter of a rock, bush or tree trunk, and the only materials 

 used are the fallen leaves and rubbish. The eggs are, I think, 

 generally 3 in number, sometimes 2 or 4, and, rarely 5. In appear- 

 ance they are hardh^ separable from those of the Red Spur-Fowl, 

 but I think as a rule they are rather paler in tint, not so warm a 

 buff-cream colour. They are just as smooth and fine-textured and 

 the same long shape, but I have one clutch of & eggs in my 

 collection which are very pointed and inclined to a peg-top 

 shape. 



Ihe 15 eggs I have been able to measure vary in length from 

 39-9 X 30-3 mm. to 42-4 x 28-4 mm., and in breadth from the 

 latter to 41-6 x 31-0 mm., the average is 40-6 x 29-9 mm. Like 

 the other Spur-Fowl this bird is monogamous, and probably pairs 

 for life. 



Mr. Blewitt records that : — 



" The parent birds assiduously care for their young, and 

 " when disturbed exhibit great anxiety for their safety. When 

 " closely pursued, the old birds endeavour by many artifices to 

 " draw the attention of the intruders from the spot where the 



