HOCK BUSH-QUAIL. 97 



This species differs more from the preceding one than is 

 apparent from the description alone. It is always more rufous than 

 the last, and wants the rich markings on the scapulars. The females 

 are very similar to each other, but those of the present species are 

 more uniform in their coloration than those of the last. 



The Rock Bush-quail is found over most of Southern India, 

 avoiding the Malabar Coast and forest districts generally, as well 

 as the more highly cultivated portions. It is abundant in parts of 

 the Carnatic and Mysore, as well as in the more barren portion of the 

 Deccan, but does not appear to occur in the North of India at all 

 beyond the Nerbudda, although very suitable ground for it occurs 

 both at Mhow and Saugor. It frequents rocky hills with low 

 scrub jungle, and especially barren uncultivated plains, scantily 

 covered with low bushes of Zizyphus or Carissa and other thorny 

 shrubs, out of which the bevy rises, ten or a dozen or twenty toge- 

 ther, with a startling suddenness and bustle, dispersing more or less 

 among the neighbouring bushes. The flesh of this Bush-quail, 

 as well as of the last, is perfectly white, and it makes a good pie ; 

 plain roasted they are not so good as the species of Coturnix, being 

 dry and with little flavour. 



The Lowa is much used for fightinc: among: the Mussulmans of 

 Southern India, as indeed, the Geerza is also, though not so com- 

 mon, nor so highly esteemed. Burgess found this Bush-quail 

 breeding from December to March, but found only four pale buff 

 eggs. It probably lays considerably more. 



The next species differs from the previous ones by its more 

 slender and red bill, and the male wants the tarsal tubercle ; but 

 it has the rounded wings and much the same habits as the Bush- 

 quails with which I shall continue to associate it, though as a 

 somewhat aberrant species. Gould has separated it under the 

 generic name of Microperdix. 



30. Perdicula erythrorhyncha, Sykes. 



Coturnix, apud Sykes, Cat. 117 — and Zool. Trans, vol. 2, pi. 1 — ■ 

 Jerdon, Cat. 279— Blyth, Cat. 1525 — Hardwicke, 111. Ind. 

 Zool. 2, pi. 44, f. 2— Gould, Birds of Asia, pt. XIV., pi. 

 16—Kokni lowa, II. of some Shikarees. 



