28 LOTSY AND KUIPER, À PRELIM. STATEMENT OF THE RESULTS OF MR. 
fidence in man. In his supposition in favor of the purity of the London 
birds, that it would take more than one generation to tame them, BEE- 
BE is in open contradiction with his statement on p.190: , [repeat that it 
is most interesting that the chicks or even the adults of real feral Jung- 
lefowl, unlike the other closely related species of Gallus, are susceptible 
of what is practically domestication in one generation +), unlike any other 
member of the pheasant family. 
The nest of the junglefowl is on the ground (1. c. p. 189) tete well 
toward the centre or denser portion of the thicket, usually of bamboo. 
It is variable as to character ; sometimes merely a hollow scratched out 
of the earth, without any lining; again the leaves which were already 
on the ground remain, and are matted down by the eggs and pressure - 
of the bird’s body. More rarely a considerable heap of grass and leaves 
is collected, forming a real nest, unlike the case of most of the phea- 
sants. Another variation which has been described is where the bird, 
beside making a nesting hollow, also scrapes up the earth outside and 
around this nest, thus forming an appreciable rim, which protects the 
contents, keeping the lining firm and the eggs secure. 
HUME speaks of finding a Junglefowl’s nest almost every day during 
a month’s shooting in May along the southern slopes of the Siwäliks, 
with the aid of dogs and man. Once six were found near the Bing-Ka- 
Khol within a radius of two hundred yards. The time of year of laying is 
different at different places, in the Northern sub-Himalaya, it extends 
from February, until the end of May. In Central Burma eggs have been 
taken from March to June; in the Malay Peninsula young birds have 
been recorded from February to late August (1. c. p. 186). The number 
of eggsis not very constant, but five to eight is the usual number. Ele- 
ven have been known to be deposited by a single hen at one laying, but 
the record of a nestful of fourteen probably represents the joint eftorts 
of two birds. The shell is smooth and fine of texture, with considerable 
gloss. Near native villages the eggs partake of the character of those of 
domestic birds. Usually they are of a pale buff or yellowish café au lait 
color, sometimes paler, whiter, or again darker, In length they vary 
from 40 to 53 mm.; and in breadth from 32 to 39. The average Red 
Jungle fowl egg measures 46 by 53 mm. 
It isa curious fact that BEEBE, who supposes all domestic fowl to ha- 
ve been descended from the Junglefowl by variation, ascribes the diver- 
1) italics are ours. 


