1872.] F. Stoliczka — Mammals and Birds inhabiting Kachh. 249 
797. Turtt.'r httmitjIS, Common. 
799. Ptebocees akenabigs.. 
Tli is is by no means a common bird in Kachh. I only met with it in 
the south-eastern parts of the province on large grassy plains or fields. 
800. Ft i' roci.es fasciattxs. Very common. 
The crepuscular habit of this bird must be explained by its coming 
to drink at, or little after, dusk. Hundreds of them used to arrive, under 
a loud chuckling call, to the wells or tanks where I was usually encamped. 
After they had satisfied their thirst they generally walked away quietly and 
remained for the night in the neighbouring fields, although they were often 
constantly alarmed by other animals who came to the wells during the night. 
When flushed for the first time in the jungles during the day, they generally 
take only a short flight and drop down again, but when flushed a second time 
they betake themselves a much greater distance. On the 22nd December, I 
came across a couple of old birds with 3 young ones, only about one or two 
days hatched. This must have been exceptional, as the usual breeding 
season of these birds is much earlier, during the rains. 
802. Ptekoci.es excstus. Very common. 
Comp. Journ. A. S. B. xxxviii, pt. ii, p. 189. 
In many females the central rectrices are quite as much elongated as 
in the males, at least during the winter. A young male shot in November 
is coloured above like the female, but the chin is whitish, the pectoral band 
altogether absent, and the sides of the abdomen are nearly as rufous brown, 
as in the adult male. 
8C3. Pavo cbistattts. Very common. 
The sacred bird of the Thakurs of the country. 
818. Fb.XNCOIJ-VITS VULGABIS. 
S . Wing ()'3, tail nearly 4, tarsus F75 inch. ; $ a trifle smaller. Out 
of eight specimens none has the wing under 6 inch. The birds are larger than 
usual, and though generally distributed, they are not common, and solitary. 
I shot two or three in the Wagur district, but have not seen nor heard 
through the whole of Kachh of a different kind of black partridge, as 
indicated by Capt. MeMurdo and Mr. Hume, (comp. Joum. A. S. B. 
vol. xxxviii, pt. ii, p. 190 and vol. xxxix, pt. ii, p. 121) ; and I can only 
conclude that Capt. MeMurdo was misled by the size of the bird, so as to 
regard it as a different species. To what species Mr. Hume’s bud belonged, 
it is really difficult to say. 
They generally roost on low trees. 
822. Okttgoenis Ponticektaxus. Very common. 
<? . Wing 5’5 to 5'75, tail 3'3 to 3'6, tarsus l - 4 to 1'5. # 
The wing in two females in 5'25 and 5 o inch, they have the throat 
distinctly tinged with ferruginous, while in the males it is almost quite 
* Jerdon says 1 not quite 2"’ ! 
