FLORICANS are birds of the tribe Preasirostres, family Otididto, bustards and florieans, which occur in inany parts of India, and to the N.W. towards Afghanistan. They are, like the bustard, speckled, greyish-coloured birds ; the males have plumes, and change their plumage in the breeding season. The little bustard of Europe is said once to have been called the Flanderkin, which may bo the source of the name. The species aro now arranged under the genus Sypheotides.
S. Bengalensis, Gmel., Bengal Florikin.
Otis deliciosa, Gray. O. Himalayana, Vig.
Charms, Charaj, or I Debar of . . . NEPAL. Charas, . . . HIND.
In the breeding season, the whole head of the male, which is very fully crested, the neck, breast, and lower parts and thigh coverts, are of deep glossy black, the plumes of the breast elongated, forming a full breast tuft, and tho feathers of the neck in front also lengthened ; back a rich olive buff, with zigzag markings, and a black dash in the centre of each feather. It is 24 to 27 inches long. It is found throughout Lower Bengal, north of the Ganges, north-easterly to the foot of the Himalaya, into Dacca, Assam, Tiperalt Sylhet ; north - westerly into the valley of tho Jumna, Rajputana the Cis-Sutlej States, and parts of the Panjall It frequents large tra,cts of moderately high grass.
The sexes live apart, but near each other.
S. auritus, Lath., Lesser Florikin, Otis fulva, Sykes.
Khar titr of Bhils, ; Tan-mohr, . . . MAR& Kan-noul, . . . CaN. Warragn Koff, . TAW. Chem, Charas, . Bixo. . . TEL. Chulla chars, Likh, „ The Bhil name means g-mss partridge ; and it gets its Tamil name from being usually found in fields of avarvigu (Paspalum frumentaceum). The lesser florikin also called the common flori kin and black florikin, is 19 to 21 inches long. In winter dress the male closely resembles the female, but has always some white on the shoulder of the wing; when in full breeding plumage, the male in its bead, neck, ear-tufts, medial wing coverts, and all its lower plumage is deep black, the chin alone being white, tho rest of the plumage fulvous. Tho different character of the plumage in the two seasons has led some to write on this bird under two names. It is found throughout India from the extreme south to the foot of the Ilim'alaya, and frequents long grass in preference to any other shelter.—Jerd. Birds of India, ii.