1870.] Brief notes on the Geology Sfc. of Kancowry harbour. 33 



It has a peculiar not easily describable call, consisting of a gut- 

 tural sound, reminding one of the croak of a bull-frog ; it may be 

 perhaps represented by the syllables KiouJc, Kioulc, Xoh Koh K6k 

 repeated. Some who had heard this call, assured me that there were 

 peacocks on the island, but it has no resemblance to the cry of 

 a peacock. Unfortunately, by an accident, I did not examine the birds 

 myself ; but if my bird-skinner has not deceived me, there is but little 

 if any difference between the sexes. By a most fortunate chance, on 

 the very day upon which I got the birds, the Nicobarese brought 

 two of the eggs to the ship for sale. 



The dimensions of a bird measured in the flesh are as follows : — 



Length, bill to tail, 15 \ inch. 



Length, bill to claw, 1 9£ ,, 



Wing, 9i „ 



Extent, about 27 ,, 



Bill, from gape, 1£ it 



Tarsus, 3 ,, 



Claws, f >> 



Girth, H „ 



Eyes, dull orange yellow. 



Length. Circumference, 



Egg, No. 1, 3 T V 6f 



Ditto, No, 2, 3i 6f 



Colour, brick red. 



The only remaining egg in the Indian Museum of those men- 

 tioned by Blyth has become quite white. 



17. Turnix sp. ? — Saw several specimens of a small dark quail, 

 one which I shot was lost in the long grass. The legs appeared 

 to be deep orange, as in T. Dussumierii. 



18. Numenius ph^eopus, Linn. — I saw a small flock of whimbrel 

 perched on some trees bordering a creek on the island of Trinkut ; 

 one which I shot is almost identical in length of bill and other 

 variable characters with a specimen obtained by Mr. Blyth in the 

 Calcutta bazar, and which is now in the Indian Museum. This 

 bird is also recorded from the great Nicobar by the Novara ex- 

 pedition. 



5 



