Pü pRAS IA MACROLOPHA.
. M B B H ‘PHEASANT.
SATYRA MACROLOPHA, Less. Diet, Sg. Nat. Hx,-p. ,9.6.
PHASIANUS“PiUCRASIA, Gray in Griff. Aniro. IGngdl voL iiii. 01829) p. 26 —Id . 111. Ind. ZodL.pl. 40.—Blyth, Cat. of Birds, p. 2'45.
GALLOPHASIS PUCRASIA; Hodgs. Gray/Zool. Misc. (1 8 4 4 ) pv 85.-
PUCRASIA MACROLOPHA, Gray, Gdn. Birds (1 8 4 4 )y p i.iii.:p. 563.—Gould, Birds o f Asia, pt. 6;—Gray, List Birds Brit. Mus. (1844) p. 31.—
Id.' List -Gall: V(1 867)'p. 40.—¡Mat. Mrae ZopE S.od/(l*853) p. 115. sp. 1.—Gould, tCent. Him. Birds, pls/69, 70.—Jerd. Birds of Ind. vol. iii.
p. 524. sp. 8 0 8—Adams, (1'858) p. 500, (1859) p. 1 8 6—B ly t£ fb is , (1867) p. 152.—Tytler, Ibis, (1 8 6 8 ) p ,2 0 3—Bon.
• Gompt. Rend. (I856)"p. 879.
EULOPHUS MACROLOPHUS, Less. Comp. Buff. vol. yiiL (1837) p, 354.
H a b . West Himalayas: Nepal to.beyond Simla ( J erdon) ;:. ChobrMountain, near Simla (A . L . A dams) .
T h is is one of the commonest speciès of Pheasant inhabiting tlie HimalayàS. and is found in the wooded regions up to ah elevation of
4000 feet. Jerdon says that “ it;has only been found in the North-west Himalayas, from the west of Nepal to' beyond Simla. It does not
occur in Sikiuu nor in Eastern Nepal.’’
The following interesting account of this handsome species was furnished by “ Mountaineer,” and originally published in the ‘ Bengal
Sporting .Review .
“ This is another forest Pheasant common to the whole of the woqded regions, from an elevation of about 4000 feet to nearly the
extreme limitsi ojfforest, but is most abundant in the lower and intermediate ranges. In the lower regions its favourite haunts are in
wooded ravines ; but it is found on nearlÿàall hill-sides which a r é covered with tree s or bushes, from the-summit of the ridges to about halfway
down. Further in the interior i t is found scatterèdAn all parts, from near the foot; o f the hills to the top, or {as far as the forest
reaches, seeming most partial-to th e ‘deep sipping forest composed o f oak, chestnuty and morenda--pine, with box, yew, and other trees
intermingled, and a thick underwood of ringall.
“ The Cocklass is of a rather retired and solitary disposition. ; It -, is generally found sihglyipr in pairs ; and, except the brood of young
birds, which keep pretty well collected till near the end of winter, they seldom congregate much together. When numerous, several are
often put up a t no great distance from each other, as if they were members o f ,o.n| lo t; but when more thinly scattered, it is seldom more
than two old birds are found together ; and at whatever season, when one is found, its mate may almost to a; certainty be found somewhere
near. This would lead òhe to imagine ' that many pairs do .not separate after the business of incubation is over, but keep paired for
several successive years. In forests where there is little grass or underwood, th ey g e t up ,as; .soon as aware of the approach of anyone
near, or run quickly along the ground to some distance ; but where there is much cover they lie very close, and will not get up till forced
by dogs or beaters. When put up by dogs they often fly up into a tree close by, which they ¡rarely do when flushed by beaters or the
sportsman himself, then flying a long way and generally alighting. On the ground. Their flight is rapid in the extreme, and after a few
whirs they sometimes shoot down like lightning. They sometimes utter a few low chuckles before.gettipg up, and rise sometimes with a
low screeching chatter and sometimes silently. The males often crow at 'daybreak; and occasionally a t all hours. In the remote forest of
the interior, on the report o f a gun, all, which are within half a mile or so, will often crow after each report; they also often crow after a
clap of thunder or any loud and sudden noise : this peculiarity seems to be confined to those in dark shady woods in the interior, as I never
noticed it on the lower hills.
“ The Cocklass feeds principally on leaves and buds ; it also eats roots, grubs, acorns, seeds and berries;, moss and flowers. It will not
readily eat grain, and is more difficult to rear in confinement than tjie Jewar or Moonall. It roosts in trees generally, but a t times on low
bushes or on the ground. The female lays seven" eggs, nearly resembling those of the Moonall in colour; they are hatched about the
middle or end of May. She makes her nest under the shelter of an overhanging tuft of grass or in a corner a t the foot of a tree, and
sometimes in the hollow of a decayed trunk.”
Mr. Adams says of this specie^.that it ;^'%.<selâôii££ôund;at anyelevation under 5000 feet on the Western Himalayas; nowhere very
common. On the Choor Mountain, hear Simla, it is plentiful, and frequently found in the same jungles with the last two species; more
solitary in its habits than either of the other two; and usually seem single or in pairs. Its call is composed of a few chuckles or low
chattering sounds ; the males crow a t daybreak ; the .call, resembles that of a young domestic cock. Roosts in trees. Food various,
composed of leaves, buds^rpots. ihsepts,. seeds, and acorns. The eggs are spotted like a Turkey's.’fp jfj
Another well-known ornithologist, writing to th e ‘The Fie ld' under the name of “ Ornithognòmon,” gives the following account
of this species
“ The Pukras is found in the North-west Himalayas, not extending.so far east as Nepal. It is a forest-bird, and ranges from about 4000