feet to . r aw the limita o f trèe -végetatmn,Jl|ig most lower a ltitu d g |m narrow valleySj o ^ h e steep t e | |
k n k , and in ravines. It is of a retired and Jllita ry disposition, being: found g f l p N * m o s tS p a i r s , The broods; I... p
parent birds till near the end of winter and thev are well g row nBM iM lb ird s do f l S g r e g a t e r , The rock and henjare generally found
near each other at all seasons, so that this bird would appear to be monogamous In open tracts,, pgivtere; t e
are not easy of approach, dushing o u ^ f shot or running rapidly in front p f » s p o r t s in a n f but in thick cov,ert they lie j g |g jm d onlv rise j
readily when hunted np by dogs, at the sight of which they appear to distrust their%fety on the ground, and By op.into.ajj r 1 i j 1
not speedily shot, they will wing their way to a long d u t » , alighting on the ground much to o jh r j® to The fig h t of this
Pheasant is very rapid ¡a n d when, afte r clearing the tree-tops, it directs its course tou ir.l- th ev a lle y .it appears to sweep, through thfe.ai|s
like an arrow. >
“ The cock bird crows like English Pheasant in the pairing-season, generally early of a morning, | | a t uncertain hours during cjgudy
weather, and often during thunderstorms—the noise appearing to excite it, as loud sounds are known to rouse a Turkey into gobbling.
» The food and manners of this bird are similar to those of the Monâl and the Horned Pheasants. I have never attempted to keep it
•in confinement ; but, it is said to be more difficult to rear thah those birds, and to refuse grain. The female, according to ‘ Mountaineer,’
lays seven eggs, resembling those of the Monâl in colour— ?, e. of a dull huffy white, speckled with reddish brown; the young are hatched
about the middle or end of May. The nest is on the ground, sheltered under a bush or tuft of grass, or the roots of a tree, and sometimes
in the hollow of a decayed trunk. At night these birds, like the rest, of the Phasianidte, roost in trees.”
Male.— Upper part of the head and median feathers of the crest light brown; re st-of head and the long feathers of th e ip e ^ dark
green. A large white patch on each side o f the neck. Back, flanks, and rump ash-grev, each feather with a central s^ ip e of black.
Primaries brownish black on their inner webs, huff on the o u te r; secondaries brown, margined with grey, and a black spot or mottling
near the tip. Central tail-feathers brownish chestnut, with black near the base, and faintly edged with whitish ; lateral ones brownish
black, outer webs rufous margined with grey, and tipped with rufous. Centre of breast and belly deep chestnut, vent chestnut, feathers
tipped with white, Bill black ; feet and legs’ brownish.
Female. General colour pale brown mottled with black, the blotches being largest on the back and secondaries. A line o f huff over
the eye, and another from the mouth. Throat buff. The lea th e rs of the back and wings have a stripe of deep buff in the centre, paler in.
those of the wing-coverts and scapulars. Lower parts chestnut mottled with black. Upper tail-coverts and middle tail-feathers pale
brown, crossed with bands of deep huff; the lateral feathers have the inner web black, and a broad band near the tip ; basal portions of
outer web chestnut.
The figures are life-size.