and Godwin-Austen says that two live birds captured near
Shillong, which he kept in confinement, eat earth-worms
greedily.
HE FURTHER says:—
" Two specimens were brought to me alive by a Khasia
with one egg, which he said was that of this bird. It measures
14" in major diameter, 10" in minor diameter, is of a creamy
white colour, unspotted on the smaller end, distantly so on
the lower two-thirds, closely on the larger end, the spots all pale
grey, with light and dark shades of sepia."
OUR DIMENSIONS for this species are taken, I regret to say,
only from skins.
Length, 8'o to 9/0 ; wing, 4'3 to 47 ; tail from vent, 2'25 to
2'6; tarsus, T ' S to ¡6; bill from gape, ro to 12. Captain
Elwes recorded the bill as greenish, the legs as vinous
brown.
Major Godwin-Austen says:—"Bill glaucous green, with a
slight tinge of red near the base, and tipped grey ; irides crimson,
orbits" (? orbital ring ?j "red; legs pale dullish vermilion."
A specimen of ours is labelled:—" Bill, upper mandible
brown, lower yellowish green ; legs and feet olive brown."
I expect that Major Godwin-Austen's version is the correct
one.
THE PLATE approximately represents the colours of the
plumage ; an reste, the less said about it the better.