THE CEYLON SPUR-FOWL, 263 



Says Mr. Layard : — 



" This species, known to Europeans under the various 

 denominations of ' Spur-Fowl/ ' Double-spurred Partridge,' and 

 * Kandy Partridge/ is an inhabitant of the Central, Southern, 

 and South-Western Provinces. 



" It delights in deep tangled brakes and thick masses of 

 canes on the sides of gentle declivities ; these it finds abundant- 

 ly in the localities above cited, while in the Northern and 

 Eastern Provinces the sandy soil and open jungles which 

 prevail offer no congenial home to a bird of its shy and retiring 

 habits.' Even in localities where it does occur, it is more often 

 heard than seen, for so extreme is its wariness that it rarely falls 

 before the gun even of the native hunter, who creeps about 

 unclad and as noiselessly as the denizens of the forest. It is 

 captured, therefore, by means of nooses and other snares placed 

 in its path, for its flesh is highly valued by the natives. I think 

 it decidedly superior in flavour to any other game which I 

 tasted in Ceylon ; it tastes and looks much like Grouse. 



" It is most active during the mornings and evenings, roam- 

 ing in small parties amid the open glades or bare towering 

 trunks of the ' Mookalanee,' or high tree jungle, but on the 

 least alarm seeking safety in the most impenetrable underwood. 

 After remaining concealed some time, and if nothing occurs to 

 excite their fears, a cock-bird, bolder than the rest, will utter 

 a few low notes, not unlike the plaintive call of a turkey 

 poult ; if this is answered from a distance or the birds are 

 re-assured, the call is changed for a loud piping whistle, and 

 the birds once more sally out from their concealment. I am 

 convinced that, like the Virginian Quail, these birds possess the 

 power of ventriloquizing in an eminent degree. I have often 

 listened to those in my aviary, and could have declared that 

 the calls proceeded from every part of the ground save that in 

 which the performers were located. 



" They do not thrive well in confinement, but exhibit the 

 same wild and suspicious demeanour, always hiding behind 

 their feeding troughs or herding in corners ; if any object 

 approaches too closely and alarms them suddenly, they rise from 

 the ground with a spring, and unless the roof is placed at a 

 considerable altitude, dash their heads against it and fall lifeless 

 to the ground.* 



" They fly with great rapidity, but prefer to seek safety in 

 concealment rather than maintain a lengthened flight. One 

 which escaped from the basket in my house flew up to the 

 roof and through the ventilating holes, but instead of continu- 



* All game birds do this more or less, and the first requisite for any cage or aviary 

 for recently-captured game birds from Quail to Moonal is to provide a false, loose, 

 cloth ceiling to the cage from 6 inches to a foot below the real roof. It is simple 

 mismanagement when birds are allowed to hurt their heads against the roofs of their 

 cages or hutches. — A. O. H. 



