10 



Catalogue of the Birds 



[JtLY 



their season of breeding to an odd month or two : and also partly on the 

 fact hereafter mentioned of many pairs breeding, especially towards the 

 south of the peninsula, after the great annual immigration in October 

 and November. 



The most general time of breeding of the fiorikin about Jaulnah, is 

 the months of August and September. Birds have, however, been flushed 

 from their eggs as late as October. During this season the females are 

 remarkably shy and wary, and flushed with difficulty, and during the whole 

 monsoon, cock birds, either in a state of change, or in the perfect black 

 plumage, are almost the only ones to be met with. I am informed by 

 native sportsmen that the black bird is occasionally seen in company 

 with the hen at this time, or walking round her whilst sitting on her eggs, 

 yet I think it probable that the cock birds withdraw from the society of 

 the hens soon after incubation has commenced. 



Though a few couple remain in most parts of the country, for the 

 whole year, and breed, yet the great body of them undoubtedly migrate 

 to the peninsula at the beginning of the cold weather in October, and 

 remain till March or April, when they emigrate for the purpose of breed- 

 ing. As before mentioned, after their arrival, several couples undoubtedly 

 breed, sometimes as late as December and January, especially in the 

 Carnatic, the Northern Circars, and Mysore. I believe, however, that 

 the great majority of them do not breed after their arrival in the south, 

 and that such as do are probably the ones bred late in the south of the 

 peninsula the previous year, and which were not sufficiently matured to 

 do so along with the others, in the early monsoon season of Upper India. 

 In the Carnatic, as about Trichinopoly, at the commencement of the season 

 in October, a considerable number of those brought in by the native 

 shikarees are black, chiefly, however, in a state of change from the perfect 

 plumage — they leave this district in February. 



I am informed that in the Nellore and Guntoor districts, both the most 

 celebrated fiorikin grounds in Southern India, the fiorikin do not arrive 

 in any numbers till November, and black birds are hardly ever met with. 

 This, I may remark, is an additional proof in favour of my opinion. A few 

 couple, most probablj', remain even here, in the wilder and more sequester- 

 ed parts, for I have heard of a hlack fiorikin being killed in the TinneveUy 

 district in the month of August. In the Southern Mahratta Countr}^, as 

 I learn from Mr. Elliot's notes, the fiorildn arrive towards the end of 

 September, and remain till April, except a few stray birds in a state of 

 change that remain through the monsoon, 



Hhe fiorikin frequents long grass in preference to any other situation. 

 It is sometimes met with iu the grain-fields, also in fields of cotton and 



