50 GAME BIRDS OF INDIA. 



dull maronne ; primaries dusky with pale edges ; secondaries 

 chesnut externally, dusky within ; tertiaries glossy black ; tail 

 with the central feathers rich glossy green-black, the gloss dimm- 

 ishing on the lateral feathers ; beneath, from the breast, unglossed 

 black ; thigh-coverts the same. 



Bill slaty brown ; hides orange red ; face, comb, and wattles 

 red ; legs slaty black. Length about 26 inches ; wing 9 ; tail 

 15 ; tarsus 2f . Weight about 2£ lbs. 



The Jungle-hen has the general colour yellowish brown, minute- 

 ly mottled with dark brown ; and some of the feathers, especially 

 of the upper back and wing coverts having conspicuously pale 

 shafts ; the head dusky above, passing into short hackles of dark 

 brown, edged with bright yellow on the neck and sides of the 

 breast ; quills and tail dark brown ; the central rectrices edged 

 with mottled brown ; ear-coverts yellowish ; a line down the 

 throat deep bright red-brown ending in a point below, and passing 

 up in a line behind the ears to join a small supercilium of the same 

 hue ; breast pale rufous brown, with central pale streaks, lighter 

 on the middle of the belly and becoming dull brown on the flanks, 

 vent, thigh-coverts, and under tail-coverts. She wants the comb 

 and wattles, and has only a small nude red space. Length 16 or 

 1 7 inches ; tail 7. 



The well known Jungle-fowl is found from the Himalayas 

 southwards, on the west of India, as far at all events, as the range 

 of Vindhian hills; and as I have been informed by Mr. W. 

 Blanford since the above remarks were penned, also south of 

 the Nerbudda on the Raj-peepla hills. Col. Sykes' variety found 

 in the Western Ghats with much red in its plumage must be this 

 species, but it is to be wished he had noted the particular locality. 

 On the east, it occurs through Central India and the Northern Circars 

 to near the north Bank of the Godavery. I have heard of its having 

 been killed even south of this, at Cummum, but I cannot speak 

 positively on this head. I have not seen it myself further south 

 than the banks of the Indrawutty, not far from its junction with 

 the Godavery, and there both this species and the next were 

 heard crowing a few yards from each other. I shot one bird, an 

 undoubted hybrid between the two races. 



