i 5 f i THE BLOOD PHEASANT.
" Adult males have often three spurs on each leg, and natives
say that they arc sometimes found with as many as five."
Dr. Hooker remarks :—
" This, the boldest of the Alpine birds of its kind, frequents
the mountain ranges of Eastern Nepal and Sikhim at an elevation
varying from 10,000 to 14,000 feet, and is very abundant
in many of the valleys among the forests of pine (Abies webbiana)
and juniper. It seldom or never crows, but emits a weak
cackling noise. When put up, it takes a very short flight, and
then runs to shelter. During winter it appears to burrow under
or in holes amongst the snow ; for I have snared it in January
in regions thickly covered with snow, at an altitude of 12,000
feet. I have seen the young in May. The principal food of the
bird consists of the tops of the pine and juniper in spring, and
t h e berries of the latter in autumn and winter ; its flesh has
always a very strong flavour, and is moreover uncommonly
tough ; it, however, was the only bird I obtained at those great
elevations in tolerable abundance for food, and that not very
frequently. The Bhutias say that it acquires an additional spur
every year ; certain it is that they are more numerous than in
any other bird, and that they are not alike on both legs. I
could not discover the cause of this difference ; neither coultl
I learn if they were produced at different times. I believe that
five on one leg, and four on the other, is the greatest number
I have observed."
Dr. Jerdon, writing to Mr. Elliot, said :—" The only time that
I have myself seen the Ithagenes was in September 1S6S, on a
t r ip to the Singhalecla Range, west of Darjeeling. This is a
lofty spur that runs south from Kinchinjunga, ending in Mount
Tonglo, 10,000 feet. At about 12,000 to 13,000 feet a covey
of these beautiful birds crossed the mountain-path I was ascending
; and quickly calling for my gun, I knocked one or
two over on the ground. Only one bird rose on the wing after
I fired ; and it settled down again almost immediately, the
rest escaping by running into the underwood in the forest. A
native Shikari followed them up, and succeeded in securing
three or four more of the family. The young were nearly
half-grown, and the cock birds were clothed in the adult male
plumage, not so bright or well-marked of course as an old bird.
The bill of the female is dull reddish at tip, and chestnut at the
base ; t h e nude orbital skin in the male rich blood-red, and
the irides red brown, the bill being dusky or black at the tip.
I see in Hodgson's drawing of this bird that the bill of the
female is rightly given red. I could not notice exactly how the
tails were held, except that they were certainly raised whilst
running. The food of those examined consisted entirely of
vegetable matter. The skins of this beautiful bird previously
brought into Darjeeling have all been procured at a considerable
distance in the interior of Sikhim; and I was rather
THE BLOOD rilEASANT. 157
surprised to find them here in such a damp climate and so near
the plains ; but as the Singhaleela spur is higher than any other
range running south, I fancy they have gradually spread along
the ridge as far as it continued suitably elavated."
Hodgson remarks of live birds that he had :—" They have an
erect Galline carriage, but the tail is carried low and descending."
Mr. William Blanford says, in his notes on the Zoology of
Sikhim :—
" Not rare on the Chola Range, but more common in the pine
forests of the Lachung Valley. I shot it only in the latter, in
September, in flocks of 10 to 15 birds, males and females, in
about equal proportions, and the young birds of the year in the
same plumage as the old ones, but easily distinguished by the
absence of spurs on their legs. The old birds had recently
moulted, and their tails were not full grown.
" All that I saw were in the pine forests around Yeomatong,
where they were tolerably abundant. They rarely take flight
even when fired at, but run away and often take refuge on
branches of trees. I have shot five or six out of one flock by
following them up ; they usually escape up hill, and if, as frequently
takes place, the flock has been scattered, after a few
minutes they commence calling with a peculiar long cry, something
like the squeal of a kite. The only other note I heard
was a short monosyllabic note of alarm; I have heard a
bird utter this when sitting on a branch within twenty yards
of me.
" In their crops I found small fruits, leaves, seeds, and in one
instance what appeared to me to be the spore cases of a moss ;
there were no leaves or berries of juniper, and the birds were
excellent eating. We did not notice the unpleasant flavour
mentioned by Hooker, probably because better food is abundant
at the season when we shot our birds, and they consequently
do not then feed upon pine or juniper."
O F THEIR nidification nothing is accurately known. Mr.
Hodgson says in his notes, obviously on the faith of native
informants :—
" The nest is placed on the ground amongst the grass and
bushes, a loose nest of grass and leaves. The eggs, 10 to 12
in number, are laid towards the end of April and in May, and
the young are ready to fly in July.
" Only the mother feeds and cares for the young."
T H E FOLLOWING are dimensions recorded in the flesh by Mr
Hodgson :—
Adult Males.—Length, 1775 to 19-5 ; expanse, 22-5 to 26'o;
wing, 80 to 9-0 ; tail, &$ to 7-0 ; tarsus, 275 to 3x5 ; bill, 0'8i to
0-87. Weight, ill) 1 oz. to lib 4 ozs.