GALLOPEEDIX BICALCABATA. 743 



turkey poult ; if this is answered from a distance, or the birds are reassured by the total silence, the call i s 

 changed to a loud piping whistle, of which the following stave gives the nearest representation I can devise : — 



gv, 



2 



» 



^h W -4 



r ,Trr 



4^ 



ere - seen - - do. 



and the birds once more sally out from their concealment. I am convinced that, like the Virginian Quail, 

 these birds possess the power of ventriloquism in a great degree. I have often listened to those iu my aviary, 

 and could have declared that the calls proceeded from every part of the garden save that in which the performers 

 were located 



" They fly with great rapidity, but prefer to take refuge in concealment rather than maintain a lengthened 

 flight. One which escaped from a basket in my house flew up to the roof and through the ventilating-holes ; 

 but instead of continuing on the wing at the elevation it had attained, it dropped instantly into a small copse, 

 out of which it was hunted with much difficulty, when it darted through an open door into my kitchen and 

 concealed itself behind a box. 



" The males are very pugilistic, and in their manner of fighting reminded me of the game-cock, depressing 

 and elevating the head, imitating each other's actions, &c." 



Though they seem to do well in confinement for a short time, I do not think they would ever live long in 

 a state of captivity, their nature being naturally so wild and shy that they are unable to adapt themselves to 

 the confined life of an aviary. I kept a brood of four, which were brought to me quite young, for eight months, 

 at the end of which time they were stricken with some disease which carried them off one by one. They were 

 at all times very shy, hiding behind the artificial cover with which I provided them, and whenever they were 

 frightened flew up against the bamboo covering of the " run " in which I kept them, sadly lacerating their 

 heads. The injuries thus received, however, did not appear to affect their health, as one individual lived for 

 months with a bare skull, which he acquired by dashing his head repeatedly against the roof of the aviary. 

 They were confined with an old male bird, and did very well for about a month, until they grew up, when 

 they commenced to fight with the cock ; and after that they became very shy and restless. When about six 

 months old they began the regular call, uttering it generally about 11 o'clock; but prior to this they made a 

 chirping note, something like that of a young fowl. 



Mr. Holdsworth brought some specimens to England, but writes that, " although apparently strong and 

 well, they all died within three days after the ship entered the Thames." This gentleman also states that 

 numbers are trapped by the natives in the upper hills, hair nooses being, I believe, used for this purpose. 



Nidification. — The Spur-fowl breeds from April till July or August in the low country, and, I believe, 

 about the same period in the hills. I found a nest on the 17th of July, 1872, on one of the islands in the 

 Ambalangoda Lake ; it was situated under an overhanging rock, on stepping on the top of which I flushed 

 the bird from beneath me. She ran a little distance, and then flew off with a loud whirr, like that of a Grouse. 

 It was merely a slight hollow scraped in the ground, with one or two dead leaves on the bottom to serve as a 

 lining; the eggs were two in number, and evidently in this case formed the entire clutch, as they were 

 slightly incubated. I have, however, seen four young in a brood, and Mr. Bligh has met with five. He writes 

 me : — " I once came upon a family of Spur-fowl in large open jungle ; the hen flew off at once, warning the 

 lrood, which were not larger than Sparrows, with a loud cackling scream, to do the same; they all flew into 

 the bushes and trees. I watched one little fellow fly about 10 yards, and alight on the bole of a large tree 

 some 12 feet from the ground, and cling to a tuft of lichen with which the trunk was covered : so closely did 

 the little bird squat that I had some difficulty in seeing it when I reached the spot ; when I disturbed it I was 

 surprised to see it dash away into the jungle with a strong flight, though only a tiny ' chicken.' As old birds 

 most frequently take to thick bushes when disturbed by dogs, from which I have shot them, I expect it is a 

 constant habit of the young to do so too." 



The eggs in the nest above mentioned were of a uniform cream-colour, and one of them was covered with 

 small, white, polished, calcareous specks, similar to those often seen on hen's eggs. They were rather broad 

 ovals in shape, and measured T42 and 1-43 inch in length by M2 and M2 inch in breadth respectively. 



The figures in the Plate are those of a male and a female from the Southern Province. 



