Illustrations of Indian Ornithology , • 



jungly ground, and prefers the neighbourhood of" low liills. It is always mot with in pairs. 

 and -when flushed, rises with a low chuckling call, takes a very short fliglit and alights. It 

 sometimes, if followed, runs a short distance, and it is raised again with great difliiult y. 

 Its food consists of various hard seeds, and the Jfatives invariably assert that both tliis and 

 the common Rock-grouse feed on gravel alone. It breeds during the hot weather laying 

 two or tliree eggs of an olive colour, speckled with spots of olive brown and dusky, and of a 

 long cylindrical shape, equally rounded at both ends. Its flesh is delicate and well flavoiu'cd. 

 Though it docs not occur in sufficient numbers to induce the Sportsman to follow it alone, 

 yet in beating the low jungles for other game, a pair or two arc occasionally flushed and 

 shot. This bird and the Pterocles exustus are known to Sportsmen in India by the name of 

 Hoch-pigeon, oirr present species being distinguished by the epithet ])aintcd, as inditati\-c 

 of the beauty of its markings. In Hindustani they are named Burtoetur, the subject of 

 our Plate being called by some Hundoyree. In Teloogoo, they are called Pdankar, and 

 in Tamool, Kul Koudaree or Rock-partridge. 



Description — Male — Forehead and sinciput pure white, with a broad black band 

 between. Back of head rufous yellow yviik black stripes — neck, breast and lesser wing 

 coverts of a pale tawny yellow, shaded with a greenish hue. Three bands on the breast, 

 the first marroon, the second pale yellowish, and the last dark chocolate — the feathers of 

 the rest of the lower ijlumage banded dark chocolate brown and ])alc yellowish — plumage 

 above banded dark brown and rufous yellow ; the larger wing coverts rufous yellow at the 

 tip, then with a band of a dusky or inky hue, next a white one, and then another fainter 

 inky one on a pale dusky yellow ground, this last inky band being sometimes edged by 

 another narrow white one. Quills dusky, edged with yellow — tail banded brown and 

 yellow — bin red — orbitar skin pale lemon yellow — irides deep brown — legs and feet ochre- 

 ous yellow. 



Length about 10 inches — wing 7| — tail 3— extent of ^ings neajiiy 21 inches — 

 weight about 7 ounces. 



I intend to give a figui-e of the Female bird in a futiu-e number of the Illustrations. 



