THE CHESTNUT-BELLIED QUAIL 17 



surface, and laying greener eggs ; S. sordidus from W. 

 Australia, in which all the feathers of the upper surface have 

 a broad bluish stripe down the middle ; and 8. cervinus from 

 Port Bssington, one of the smallest forms, with a delicate sandy 

 buff colouring. 



Mr. G. A. Keartland placed a pair of these birds in an aviary, 

 covering half of the floor with tufts of grass in the sod. For 

 the first fortnight they kept out of sight, but by the end of 

 a month they began to show themselves. Six weeks later seven 

 eggs were laid, on which the hen sat. "A glance at her while 

 sitting showed how these birds manage to cover such large 

 clutches of eggs in a state of nature. The long feathers on the 

 sides of the breast spread out at right angles from the body 

 until the bird could hide an ordinary tea saucer." When the 

 young were hatched, the male bird, who had taken no part in 

 the incubation, was in constant attendance on them, and when 

 finely chopped meat or green vegetables were thrown to them 

 he would pick up pieces and hold them in his bill until the 

 young ones took them from him. They all scratched like common 

 fowls, and were fed principally on canary seed. When on one 

 occasion Mr. Kearstland removed two of the eggs with a spoon 

 tied to a stick, the hen bird charged at it with her wings all 

 distended like a bantam fowl would at a strange dog. 



Genus Excalfactoria. 

 Tail with eight feathers. 



The Chestnut-bellied Quail. 



Excalfactoria lineata. Sub-species of E. chinensis. 



Philippines, Palawan-Siilu Islands, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, Australia. 



Adult Male: Upper portions brown, forehead, sides of head and neck 

 and upper tail eoverts dark slate-blue; a. white band from nostril to eye; 

 chin and throat black, a white band edged with black on either side, and 

 forepart of neck white, upper part of chest, sides of breast and flanks 

 slate-blue, rest of underpart rich chestnut. 



Adult Female: Upper portions brown, with black markings and most 

 of the feathers with a pale buff shaft-stripe; chin, throat and forepart 

 of neck white, shading into rufous buff towards the sides, rest of 

 underparts buff, paler in centre, chest, sides and flanks barred with 

 black. Total length 5.3 inches, wing 2.0, tail 1.1., tarsus .9. 



