THE GAMJE BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 597 



In the British Museum we have seventeen females of Turnix tanki, 

 and eight of the supposed T. alhiveniris for purposes of examination, 

 and I have also examined birds from other collections. 



1 . As regards size, I find that the average wing measure- 

 ment of tanhi is 3-43" for the female, and 3'06" for the males, 

 whilst that of alhiventris is 3*1 6" for females, and 2*94" for 

 males. At first sight this would seem to prove that the two 

 are separable as sub-species on account of size, an examination 

 of individuals, however, disproves this. Thus, in the small 

 series of eight alhiventris in the Museum Collection, I find two 

 birds with wings of 3-30" and 3-20", and in the series of 

 seventeen tanki there are four with wings of 3*30" or under, 

 of these one has a wing of onlj 3", and is possibly wrongly 

 sexed, but there is yet another with a wing of only 3-15". 

 Thus, with two small series containing birds which overlap in 

 size to such an extent, it is impossible to accept an average 

 difference of measurement as sufficient grounds for division into 

 species or sub-species unless there are other and better differ- 

 ences with which to support it. 



2 . As regards the nuchal collar, I must premise my remarks 

 by pointing out that some of the adult birds in the British 

 Museum series labelled tanM have their necks so injured that 

 the red collar has practically disappeared ; on the other hand, 

 of the seven adult alhiventris, no less than five have their necks 

 drawn out and so arranged that the width of the collar is 

 exaggerated. The other two if compared with the best 

 specimens of tanki will not be found to differ to any appreciable 

 extent in width. As regards colour, it would also be easy to 

 select two tanki to put with these two alhiventris so closely 

 resembling each other in this respect that no one could name 

 them except by chance. 



3. As regards the colouring of the upper parts, I consider 

 this only individual ; thus, there is a specimen of tanki from 

 Allahabad (No. 89.5.10.445) which has more rufous on the 

 back than any specimen of alhiventris. Again, there are many 

 specimens of young tanki which have the back as much mottled 

 with black as the young alhiventris have. Therefore, the only 

 difference left as regards the colouration of the back is the 

 allegation that alhiventris never assixmes the vermiculated un- 

 blotched appearance of tanki. But this stage of plumage 

 appears only to be assumed by very old females, and is quite 

 exceptionable. In the Museum Collection I find only two such 

 specimens of tanki and of the many hundreds of these birds 

 which have passed through my hands, I do not think that I 

 have seen half a dozen birds in this, so-called, adult female 

 plumage. With the few alhiventris available for examination, 



