BUPLOCAMUS. 415 



two broods in the year, or that when a nest is destroyed they com- 

 mence the business of incubation over again." 



Captain Hutton remarks : — " This species, the Kalij of the hUl- 

 men, is found in the hills at all seasons, and is common at every 

 elevation up to the snows. It breeds in May and June. In the 

 latter month I found a nest, by the side of a small watercourse, 

 composed merely of a few dead leaves and some dry grasses, which 

 had probably been accumulated by the wind and tempted the bird 

 to deposit her eggs upon them. The spot was concealed by large 

 overhanging ferns, and contained the shells of eight eggs, of a 

 sulhed or faint brownish white, like some hen's eggs ; the tops of 

 all were neatly cut ofi as if by a knife, showing that the young 

 ones had escaped, and, singular enough, I had the day before cap- 

 tured the whole brood." 



The late Major Cock said : — " The Common Kalij breeds in May 

 and June, and lays its eggs as a rule on the ground under a rock or 

 bush ; but I have taken a nest on a large low bough of a tree, in a 

 hollow on the upper side of which the eggs were placed. The hen 

 will allow herself to be caught on her nest at times. Lays eight 

 eggs, of a buff colour." 



The eggs are oval, moderately elongated, a good deal pointed to- 

 wards one end, perhaps, typically, less so than those of the Grey 

 Partridge, more so than those of the Peahen, but belonging to that 

 type, and not to that of the Prancolin's or English Pheasant's. The 

 eggs are always glossy, sometimes highly so, and the surface is 

 generally very finely and closely pitted with minute pores like 

 those of the Peacock's egg on a diminutive scale. In some speci- 

 mens these are pretty conspicuous, but in the majority they are 

 only noticeable on close inspection, and in some they appear almost 

 entirely wanting. The eggs vary in colour from a very pale 

 creamy or buffy white to a rich reddish buff, even richer and red- 

 der than any specimens of the Peafowl's eggs that I have yet seen ; 

 though such may doubtless occur, I have not yet seen a specimen 

 freckled or mottled as Peafowls' eggs occasionally are, though I 

 have seen some pretty thickly speckled with minute white spots. 



In length the eggs vary from 1'85 to 2-03, and in breadth from 

 1'25 to 1-52 ; but the average of fifty eggs is 1-94 by 1-44. 



Euplocamus melanonotus, Blyth. The Blaclc-laeked Kalij. 



Gallophasis melanotus (Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 634 ; Hume, Bough 

 Draft N. ^ E. no. 811. 



The breeding-season of the Black-backed Kalij lasts for several 

 months. Quite low down, at elevations of 2000 feet or so, they 

 lay as early as the end of March ; at 4000 or 5000 feet, eggs may 

 be looked for about the middle of May, and towards the higher 

 limits, 6000 or 7000 feet, they lay in June ; and eggs, much incu- 

 bated it is true, have been found as late as the end of July. 



Xhey never seem to make a nest ; at any rate, of the dozen odd 



