Illustrations of Indian Ornithology. 



luk-chend, which means Pied bird, and Flercher in English. This latter is, I think, evi- 

 dently of the same origin as Florikin. Others (says he) call it the Passarage Plover, which 

 is the name applied to it in Pennant's Hindostan, where there is a figure of it. In one 

 drawing it was called Tok-dar ; which, however, is the name of the Bustard, 0. Nigriceps. 

 An indifferent figure of the Black Florikin, in a state of change, is given at Plate X. 

 of the Zoology of the Voyage of Belanger. Lesson, the author of the article, says 

 that he does not know a figure of the adult O. Aurita, (though it had been previ- 

 ously I believe figured in Jardine and Selby's Illustrations of Ornithology) and that 

 a specimen did not exist in the public collections of Paris. He also asserts its 

 identity with 0. Gularis and Bengalensis of the French Museum, and of some modern 

 authors, and then says, "Thus the Otis Bengalensis is evidently only the O. Aurita 

 without its ear tufts (palettes). It is the Like of the Hindoos.'' I know not on 

 what authority he alleges this. On referring to Latham's account of O. Bengalensis, he 

 gives its height 22 inches, and weight 12 to 141b, &c. &c., so there can, I think, be 

 very little doubt that the O. Attrita is not intended. Buffon too calls it (the Ben- 

 galensis,) the Churge or VOutarde Moyenne des Indes, expressly because it is in- 

 termediate in size between the great and little Bustard of Europe. — Latham's Black 

 Headed Bustard, No. 6, is perhaps meant for our bird. 



I shall now give a short description of both male and female. 



Length of the male Lird from 18 to 19 inches — wing about 8 — tail 4 — tarsus 

 barely 4 — bill (at front) l-j^ths — weight 16 to 18 oz. 



When in full breeding plumage, the head ear-tufts, neck, medial wing coverts, 

 and lower plumage are deep black ; chin, lower part of hind neck, and a large patch 

 on the wing, white ; the rest of the plumage dark brown, mottled with fulvous ; the 

 first three quills dusky brown, the remainder light fulvous yellow, barred and mottled 

 with brown. The ear-tufts usually three in number on each side, and four inches long, 

 rise from the lower portion of the ear coverts. 



Irides pale yellowish, clouded with dusky. Bill dusky above, with the edges 

 of the upper and all the lower mandible yellowish. Legs and feet dirty whitish yellow. 



The female measures from 19^ to 21 inches — wing 9f — tail nearl)^ 5 — tarsus 

 4i— bill (at front) 1 J— weighs 20 to 24 oz. 



The prevalent color of her plumage is pale fulvous yellow, the feathers on 

 the head, back, wings and tail, clouded and barred with deep brown — those on the 

 head almost quite brown ; foreneck with two irregular interrupted streaks, increasing 

 on lower neck, and breast, lower plumage thence being unspotted and almost white ; 



