206 THE VERMICELLATED PHEASANT.
They are regular Fowl Pheasants, and with dogs afford a
certain amount of sport, but when bagged are no great luxuries
for the table. The flesh is white and free from unpleasant
flavour ; but rather dry, and in old males tough enough. They
rarely, if ever, have any fat about them, and when roasted could
hardly, I believe, be distinguished from ordinary Indian domestic
fowls.
Writing from Northern Pegu, Captain Feildcn says :—" This
bird is tolerably common in the hills west of Thayetmyo, but
appears to be unknown to any but Burmese It seems to require
rock and very steep hill-sides, covered by long grass, for
shelter, and flat alluvial soil, bare of grass and covered with
brushwood and young trees, for feeding ground ; in fact, its
feeding ground is precisely the same as that of the Black
Woodpecker, and I have several times lost a bird of each
species by being undecided which to fire at.
" An old male is a most extraordinary looking bird. The
tail only is seen moving through the long grass, and I invariably
thought at first that it was some new porcupine or badger,
or some animal. The note, too, adds to the deception ; it reminded
me a little of the cries of young ferrets.
" They run with great rapidity, but rise readily before a dog,
and would not he difficult shooting but for the steepness of the
hill-sides on which they are found, and the nature of the s o i l -
gravel just stuck together by the material that forms the petrified
wood so common there. This, covered by grass or dried
bamboo leaves, makes the footing so slippery that any attempt
to raise my gun hurriedly generally brought me to my knees.
" These birds feed a great deal on the young shoot of a kind
of Orchis, which rather resembles a large Roselle flower, and
its juicy leaves enable these Pheasants to live for some time
far away from water ; but in the middle of the hot-weather they
are forced to retire from the Thayetmyo Hills by the long
grass being burnt. They return at the beginning of the rains.
They hatch in August."
Mr. Oates remarks:—"This species is common throughout
the whole of Pegu east of the Irrawaddy.
" It is rare or common just in proportion as the country
is level or mountainous. In the plains or undulating portion
of Upper Pegu it will be met with in small numbers, if the
ravines and nallas arc sufficiently precipitous to suit its taste ;
but in these places, at the best, only one or two will be shot in a
long morning's work. It is not till we get to the foot of the
hills that this Pheasant can be said to be common. Here
the nallas, with their pools of water and rocky beds, arc particularly
favourable to it. As we mount higher, it increases in
numbers to such an extent that it is no difficult matter to
knock over half-a-dozen in a morning while marching, and that
without leaving the path.
THE VERMICELLATED PHEASANT. 207
" This Pheasant is averse to all cultivation, and shuns even
the yahs or hill gardens of the Karens, though these may be
several miles from the nearest tay or village. It must have
thick cover, even while feeding. In the mornings it comes out
to feed on the ridges, where the jungle is a trifle less thick than
in the valleys. At 9 or 10 o'clock it descends into the valleys,
and after drinking retires into some small secondary watercourse
for its mid-day siesta. At this period of the day seven
or eight may be found together if it is not the breeding season.
When feeding, they go singly or in pairs. Their food is very
varied. Ants, both white and black, are eagerly sought after ;
the former are an especial weakness of our bird, and the only
food on which it thrives in captivity. During the hot-weather
Pheasants eat the fig of the Peepul ravenously ; and I have
shot birds with nothing but this food in the stomach.
" The breeding season begins about the 1st March, and by
the end of the month all the hens have commenced laying. It
is during this month only that the male makes that curious
noise with his wings which seems peculiar to the Kalij group. It
may be imitated very fairly by holding a pocket-handkerchief
by two opposite corners and extending the arms with a jerk.
This noise, made only by the male, is undoubtedly a challenge
to other cocks. I have frequently hidden myself near a bird thus
engaged, and on two occasions shot cock birds running with
great excitement towards the sound.
" The chickens, as soon as they are hatched, are very strong
on their legs, and run with great speed. I was fortunate enough
to capture portions of four broods. It is astonishing in what a
short time the little birds make themselves invisible. It is
difficult to secure more than two out of one batch. It is a case
of pouncing on them at once or losing them. The mother is a
great coward, running away at the slightest alarm, and thus
contrasting very unfavourably with the Jungle Fowl, which
keeps running round and round the intruder with great anxiety
till her young ones are in safety.
" The young are very difficult to rear. From some cause or
other they become paralysed, lose the use of their legs, languish,
and die.
" This Pheasant is not very shy ; on the contrary, it is rather
tame ; but it has the habit of sneaking quietly away, and very
few birds will be seen by one who docs not know its peculiarities.
It never takes wing unless suddenly surprised, when it
will skim across the valley and alight again as soon as possible.
Its only call is a low chuckle, frequently uttered both when
alarmed and when going to roost."
Davison notes :—
"This Pheasant occurs not uncommonly about Pahpoon, the
north-east district of Tenasserim and its neighbourhood, and it
extends as far, or nearly as far, south as Tavoy. It does not