THE BENGAL FLORTCAN. 2J 



" It is found in greatest numbers in high and dry open lands, 

 the places most frequented by it being the large Bishnath 

 plain and the higher lands lying between the Government 

 Trunk Road on the north of the Brahmaputra, and the hills 

 throughout the Darrang districts. 



" North of Mangaldai, in Darrang, about five miles from the 

 Bhutan Hills, at a staging bungalow, well named Shikar, I shot 

 fourteen Florican in one day. 



" The Florican is also found on the Sadiya plains in fair num- 

 bers, and on the chars of the Brahmaputra, but is much 

 scarcer on the south bank of that river. 



" On the Bishnath plain and other places in the Darrang 

 district, I have seen, I am sure, from 30 to 40 Florican in a day. 



t( In October and November the bird is often found on the 

 high strips of ground near to paddy fields, or even in the 

 paddy, feeding on its blossom, while later on in January it is 

 found in the mornings and evenings in the mustard crops then 

 in flower ; but during the day it retires to its favourite high 

 lands. 



" Burnt grass lands it also much affects, and while there, I 

 have found its crop full of insects, and even little bits of burnt 

 grass or seed. 



" Taking Assam as a whole, I should say of the Florican ; — 



" In Darrang, very common. 



" In Kamrup and Goalpara, a good sprinkling. 



" In Nowgong, Sibsagar, Lakhimpur, here and there a fair 

 sprinkling, but as a rule scarce." 



Captain C. R. Macgregor remarks: — "The Florican is called 

 by the natives the Ooloo Moora, or Peacock of the ooloo grass. 



" In June and July, and sometimes as late as August, I 

 have repeatedly witnessed the performance of the ' nuptial 

 dance' by the cock-bird in full plumage. The bird rises from 

 the ground and hovers with extended wings from 10 to 20 feet 

 in the air, and thus attracts the female birds who may be within 

 an easy distance. Twice I have noticed this dance in the evening 

 after the sun has gone down when returning from shooting under 

 the Daphla Hills. The Florican generally breeds in the higher 

 plateaux of the Assam Valley, near the foot of the hills. The 

 males have been seen also by Major Cock in full plumage in 

 the month of May. 



" I have shot Florican beyond Sadiya under the Abar hills, 

 on the chars of the Brahmaputra between Sadiya and Pulia, 

 notably on the " Lalli Chapori," under the Naga hills in the 

 vicinity of Jaipur, near Dibrugarh, on the Bishnath plain, and 

 along the whole country extending from Tezpur in the Darrang 

 district up to north Lakhimpur. 



" I have noticed that Florican generally seem to come to the 

 same place year after year. They generally frequent the 

 "ooloo" grass; but I have often found them in the "/kra" after 



