Pulncys, Anamalais, Shervaroys, and the like, they occur,
and, where not persecuted, in great abundance, from near sea
level to at least 5>5°° feet elevation. Indeed, individuals
may be met with up to fully 7,000 feet, as on the higher slopes
of Dodabetta.
The Grey Jungle-Fowl is a purely Indian species, and does
not, as already noticed, even extend to Ceylon, where it is represented
by the next species G. lafaycttii.
I MYSELF HAVE seen but little of this Jungle-Fowl, and that
little chiefly about the base of Mount Abu, and the Dasuri Pass
further east in the Arvalis, and I therefore avail myself of
Davison's notes on the species, amongst which he has spent
many years of his life. He says :
"The Grey Jungle-Fowl occurs but sparingly about the higher
portions of the Nilgiris, but is common on the lower slopes,
in the low country about the bases of the hills, and throughout
most parts of the Wynaad. I have found it most abundant
in the jungles between Metapolliem and Kullar, and between
this place and Burliar about half way between Kullar and
Coonoor, I counted sixteen once (while riding up to Coonoor
early one morning) feeding along the cart road here.
" Unlike the Red Jungle-Fowl, this species is not gregarious,
and though occasionally one meets with small coveys, these
always consist of only one or two adults, the rest being more
or less immature. As a rule, they are met with singly or in pairs.
" The crow of the male is very peculiar, and might be syllabled,
' Kuck-kaya-kya-kack', ending with a low, double
syllable, like 1 Kyukun, Kyukun,' repeated slowly, and very softly,
so that it cannot be heard except when one is very close to the
bird. Only the males crow, and that normally only in the
mornings and evenings, though occasionally they crow at
intervals during the day when the weather is cloudy. The
crow is very easily imitated, and with a little practice the wild
birds may be readily induced to answer.
common in the Punch Mahals wherever there are any hills, but is very rare in the
low lying jungles. It was rare, but I saw it in several places in the Tumkur
district in Mysore."
Mr. E. James again writes :
"I have myself seen the bird all along the Satpura Hills and along the Western
Ghats from Khandesh to Kanara. Along the Arbyle-Ghat Road, Jungle-Cocks
are to be seen picking grain out of horsedung and cowdung just like Barndoor Fowls,
merely running into the dense jungle on each side as soon as any one approaches."
Darling says:
"I have seen and shot this Jungle-Fowl on all parts of the Nilgiris from the
highest summits to the plains about their bases, in Kullar and Metapolliem ; in the
Guzle Hutti Bass and ali over the Wynaad; in the Calicut disuict and Walliar
jungles.
Mr. Mclnroy remarks;
"After the paddy is cut near Hunsur, (S. W. Mysore) they literally rrarm in the
fields for some two to three months, feeding upon the fallen grain. The cock is a
very wide-awake gentleman, and I have frequently seen him, on detecting danger,
make off silently to the jungle, leaving his hens to their fate."
" They do not, however, crow the whole year through, but
only from October to May, when they are in full plumage.
"When flushed by a dog in the jungle, they flutter up into
some tree above with a peculiar cackle, a ' Kuik-kuck-kuck,'
which, however, they only continue till they alight.
"They come into the open in the mornings and evenings,
retiring to cover during the heat of the day, unless the weather
is cloudy, when they may be met with in the open throughout
the day.
" Though found in evergreen forests, they seem to prefer
moderately thin and bamboo jungle.
" Ordinarily, as already remarked, they are found scattered ;
but when a tract of bamboo comes into seed, or any other particular
food is locally abundant, they collect there in vast numbers,
dispersing again as soon as the food is consumed. I remember
on one occasion when the undergrowth of the Sholas about
Pykarra (which consists almost entirely of Strobilantkes sp.) seeded,
the Jungle-Fowl congregated there in the greatest numbers,
I mean by hundreds, and were excessively numerous for more
than a fortnight, when they gradually dispersed, owing, I believe,
not so much to the seeds having all been eaten, as to what
remained of them having sprouted and so become uneatable.
" In some ways they are not very shy ; by taking an early
stroll, even without a dog, along some quiet road by which
cattle and grain pass, several can always be obtained, but when
they have been at all disturbed and shot at, they become very
wary, and even with a dog, before which they ordinarily perch
at once, they are very difficult to secure. In such cases, they
run till they think they are out of shot, and then rise, and
instead of perching, take a long flight, often of many hundred
yards, and when they do alight, commence running again.
"When out feeding they do not usually wander far from
cover, and on any indication of danger they dart back into
this. They do not, however, go far in, generally only for a very
short distance, before stopping to listen, when, if all seems quiet,
they reappear in a short time within a few yards of the spot
at which they entered. If, on the contrary, after listening
they think that there is still danger, they then retreat quietly
and silently into the far depths of the jungle ; occasionally,
after they have got some distance flying up and hiding themselves
in some bushy tree.
" When, however, as sometimes, though rarely.happens, they are
surprised some distance out in the open, they do not run, but
rise at once and fly for the nearest cover, cither perching in
some leafy tree, or else dropping to the ground.
" They are very punctual in their appearance at particular
feeding grounds, and when one or more are met with in any
particular spot, they are certain, if not disturbed in the interim,
to be found again in the same place at about the same hour