754 PERDICULA ASIATICA. 



Manbhum ; and Mr. Ball has procured it in other parts of Chota Nagpur and in the Satpura hills. It is found 

 at Khandala and Mahabaleshwar, according to the Rev. Dr. Fairbank ; and by Messrs. Davidson and Wender 

 it is recorded as common in the hills at Satara and Nulwar. 



Habits. — The Jungle Bush-Quail associates in moderately-sized covies, and affects grassy tracts and glades 

 in the midst of forest ; it keeps usually to long grass, where it obtains suitable cover, but in search of food 

 will come out in roads and pathways ; and while thus feeding I found that it exhibited a remarkably fearless 

 disposition. During a trip to the Eastern Provinces in 1875 I first met with it, and at the outset became 

 acquainted with it by finding small covies scratching by the road-sides after heavy showers of rain ; they were 

 searching for grain among the straw and litter left by natives at their nightly camps : on several occasions they 

 took flight in little detachments of two or three ; and when these were fired at their companions did not rise, 

 but either ran into the adjoining grass or continued on the road. Such extraordinary tameuess on the part 

 of game-birds I had never previously witnessed ; and when I even fired (with a view of getting as many 

 specimens as possible) into a covey they did not rise, but quietly ran to the side of the road. Elsewhere I 

 found them on the sandy bed of a dried-up river, similarly occupied in picking up the grain at a native camping- 

 place. Their flight is straight and strong, but not long continued, for, when they appear to be " well on the 

 wing," they suddenly drop to earth, after the manner of other Quails. While flying they gave vent to a 

 chirping note, which was answered by those which were still on the ground. 



Jerdon thus speaks of this Quail : — " Riding through some of the more open forests, especially in the 

 upland districts, a bevy of this little bird is often seen crossing the road, or feeding on grain dropped by 

 cattle. In the North-west Provinces, however, they appear to frequent gardens, bushes, and hedgerows in 



more open ground near stations It is found in covies or bevies of from six to eight to a dozen and 



more ; and generally all rise at once with a loud whirring noise, uttering loud cries of alarm, and after a short 

 flight drop down again into the jungle." Blyth notices that it has a peculiar quivering whistle, which it utters 

 continuously. 



Nidification. — Immature birds procured by me in the Eastern Province in September appeared to be about 

 five or six months old, so that the breeding-season is probably about March or April. The egg which Layard 

 alludes to measured 12 lines (DO inch) by 9 lines (0*76 inch). 



Concerning its breeding in India, we gather the following from Mr. Hume's ' Nests and Eggs/ He 

 writes : — " The Rock Bush-Quail, the only species whose eggs I have myself taken, lays at any time from 

 August to December, and again in March, and, for all I know, may lay straight on all the year through, but I 

 have myself taken nests in all the months mentioned. I think they have two broods in the year, but cannot 

 be certain ; anyhow, March and September are the months in which I have found most eggs. 



" They always prefer semi-waste strips of land covered with high grass, and in the neighbourhood of 

 cultivation, for nesting. The nest is slight, composed of grass loosely wound round into a circular shape, and 

 is placed generally, but not always, in a depression, scratched for it by the birds, at the foot of some tuft of 

 grass or under some thick bush. Six or seven is the usual number of eggs laid." 



The eggs are described as moderately broad ovals, somewhat pointed towards the small end ; they are " white, 

 glossy, and spotless, tinged (but far less deeply than in the Grey Partridge) with cafe-au-lait colour." Average 

 dimensions D02 by 0"84inch. 



