14 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVI L 



Breast and upper abdomen bright buff, each feather with a 

 terminal spot of black, the buff palest next these spots ; flanks 

 chestnut, each feather with a buffy white bar between two black 

 ones. The colours of the flanks and breast grade into one another. 



Lower abdomen, vent and under tail-coverts brownish-chestnut, 

 more or less spotted with insignificant black-edged white spots ; 

 the under tail-coverts are black-tipped, and the longest almost 

 wholly of this colour. 



There is not much individual variation in colour, though some 

 birds are more spotted than others, and some have the head a 

 deeper black than the rest. 



Colours of the Soft Parts. — Legs and feet horny-green, plumbeous 

 horny, or plumbeous ; upper mandible blackish horny, lower pale 

 horny especially at the base and gape ; irides hazel brown or dark 

 brown. 



Measurements. — Wing, 144-161 mm., average 28 specimens, 

 153 mm.; tail, 128-135 mm.; tarsus, 42 — 45 mm.; spurs, gene- 

 rally two on each leg, sometimes less, sometimes three on each 

 leg or on one only. The spurs run up to about an inch in length 

 (25"4 mm.) ; Bill from front, about 19 mm. and from gape about 

 22-23 mm. 



"Weight, 9-10 ozs." (Hume). 



Adult female. — Crown black, the feathers with chestnut stripes, 

 occupying nearly the whole of each web on the forehead, and the 

 posterior crown chestnut tipped as well ; broad supercilia chestnut, 

 the feathers with pale centres ; ear-coverts deeper chestnut ; chin, 

 throat and cheeks pale yellowish-buff, mottled with chestnut ; neck 

 all round, upper parts and wings dark brown tinged with greyish- 

 olive, especially on back, scapulars and lesser coverts. Upper tail- 

 coverts browner than the back ; tail deeper richer brown, obso- 

 letely rayed with black bars. 



Below, the brown neck changes gradually to paler rufescent 

 brown on breast and upper flanks, and then again to earthy brown 

 on lower abdomen, vent and under tail-coverts. 



Such variation as exists in adult females consists in the absence 

 or prevalence of narrow terminal spots or bars on the lower plumage, 

 and less often on the upper. These markings appear to have 

 nothing to do with age, as old bii'ds are to be found both well 

 spotted and immaculate. 



One female from Raipur is noticeable for its very bright, almost 

 pure chestnut, breast. 



Colours of Soft Parts. — Similar to the same parts in the male. 



Measurements. — Wing, 138-159 mm., average 20 specimens, 146 

 mm.; tail, 128-145 mm.; tarsus, about 40 mm.; bill from front 

 about IS mm., and from gape about 21-22 mm. 

 " Weight, 8-9 ozs. " (Hume). 



