26 Lieut. W. V. Legge on the Distribution of 
to within half an inch of the tip. These markings vary in 
extent in different individuals. Turtur risoria is absent from 
this district, being replaced by T. suratensis, which is very 
numerous. Pigeons, as well as all other frugiverous birds, are 
exceedingly fond of the berry of the “ Lantana 33 ( Lantana 
mixta), which has overrun the whole island. Chalcophaps in - 
dica is perhaps the most plentiful of our Doves, and is widely 
distributed throughout the hilly country of the lowlands, fre¬ 
quenting bamboo-jungles, in which it breeds, making its nest 
generally where a tangled mass of the stalks cross each other. 
The wooded nature of the south-west is particularly favourable 
to the habits of Jungle- and Spur-fowl; but the latter predo¬ 
minates much in numbers. Every copse and little piece of 
detached jungle, even in the vicinity of the sea, has its pair; 
but notwithstanding their numbers, they evade all attempts 
at stalking, and seldom or ever fall to the gun of the Euro¬ 
pean. The natives shoot them at times by watching near a 
favourite haunt at day-break, when they generally show them¬ 
selves on the edge of the copse for a short interval. Gallo - 
perdix bicalcarata breeds in this province during the south¬ 
west monsoon, from June until September. The nest is a de¬ 
pression or hole scratched in the ground, lined with a few 
dead leaves, under the shelter of a rock or between the pro¬ 
jecting roots of a large tree. They lay from two to four eggs 
of a uniform cream-colour; axis 17 lines, diam. 13^ lines. 
One that I took from a nest last July has raised white specks 
all over the surface, such as are sometimes noticeable on the 
eggs of the domestic Fowl. This part of the island is the 
head quarters of Excalfactoria chinensis, which frequents 
grassy damp fields in numbers, and affords at times fair shoot¬ 
ing to the sportsman. Turnix taigoor is not so numerous as 
in the western province, being principally confined to low 
bushy outskirts of jungle and citronella-grass plantations. 
It will appear from the description of this part of the 
southern province, at the commencement of these notes, that 
it can contain but little area suitable to the habits of Waders 
and natatorial birds; and these are therefore, in comparison 
with other districts in the island, but poorly represented in 
