670 



D. Seth-Smith 



The female of my pair, on arrival, possessed the character- 

 istic red collar, but as the winter approached she commenced 

 to moult, and assumed the plumage which has been supposed 

 to denote immaturity, in fact she was hardly distinguishable 

 from the male except for her larger size. This proved 

 conclusively that this species has two complete seasonal 

 plumages. 



Another proof of this was afforded when, later on, I 

 succeeded in rearing young from this pair, for the females 

 assumed the adult summer plumage, with the red collars, when 

 only six weeks old. 



The breeding of these birds was very interesting and 

 instructive. Three eggs were laid, and the male undertook 

 the whole task of incubation, the female rarely going near 

 the nest. Incubation was completed in the remarkably 

 short space of twelve days. The male took entire charge of 

 the young birds, which were able to run well immediately, 

 brooding them most tenderly and rushing savagely at one's 



Newly-hatched young of Turnix temici (slightly enlarged). 



hand or foot if one approached them too closely. For the 

 first few days the chicks would not pick any food up from the 

 ground, but took everything from the bill of their parent, 

 who, whenever he found a tender insect or grub, held it out 

 and called them with low crooning sounds. 



I have this spring (1905) had the good fortune to breed 



