THE BLUE-BREASTED OR PAINTED QUAIL. 165 



Mr. Cripps writes : — " I have shot this Quail in the Dacca dis- 

 trict, where it is comparatively rare. I have always observed 

 them during the cold season, and am of opinion that they do 

 not breed in the district. They frequent the stubble of paddy 

 crops, and when flushed make for the nearest patch of ' Sone' 

 grass or scrub, when it is very difficult to flush them a second 

 time. They are found singly, and occasionally in pairs," 



The Painted Quail breeds in Pegu, Cachar, Purneah and 

 the Sub-Himalayan districts westwards of this, and in the warmer 

 valleys of the lower outer ranges of the Himalayas from 

 Sikhim to near Kasauli. Where else it breeds within our 

 limits I have yet to learn — probably in Ceylon, Tenasserim, and 

 the valley of Assam, at any rate. It breeds freely in the Malay 

 Peninsula, whence also I have the eggs. 



This species is clearly monogamous. The hen sits (not the 

 male, as in the Bustard Quails), and the male is always to be found 

 near at hand ; and when the young are hatched both parents 

 accompany the brood for at least two months after they are able 

 to fly. 



I have had reason to suspect that they may breed twice a year, 

 but the matter is still doubtful, as the different periods at which we 

 have found their nests may be due to differences in the climate 

 of the localities in which we met with them. 



In the Sub-Himalayan districts and ranges, it lays from the 

 latter end of June to at least the second week in August. In 

 Cachar, Mr. J. Inglis tells me that it lays in June and July. In 

 the Malay Peninsula Davison took the eggs in March. The 

 nest, always on the ground, usually in the midst of low short 

 grass, though always close to thicker cover, is a mere depression 

 in the soil, more or less thinly lined with blades and fine stems of 

 grass. Six appears to be the usual complement of eggs, but 

 in two cases only five and four eggs respectively were found a 

 good deal incubated. 



Davison says : — " I took a nest of this species containing six 

 eggs at Klang on the 15th of March. The nest was, as usual 

 with Quails, a mere depression in the ground, loosely lined with a 

 few grass stems. It was in rather an odd situation, being placed 

 directly in front of, and only a few paces from, an iron target, 

 which was fired at almost every day in the week, and often by 

 whole squads of men, for hours at a time. The little bird did 

 not seem to mind the firing in the least, nor the soldiers and 

 others passing ; but if any one approached too close to the nest, 

 she would fly off with a sharp note of remonstrance, returning 

 however in a very short time." 



Writing from Pegu, Mr. Oates remarks : — "A nest found on the 

 14th July was a mere pad of grass placed in a clump of coarse 

 grass. It contained five fresh eggs. They are slightly glossy 



