In Northern Persia, a distinct species is found in the Elburz,
but the Persians say that a second species is found in the
lofty Dinar mountains in the south, just north of Shiraz, and
it is not impossible that this may be himalayensis.
BARE ROCKY hill sides, ravines and passes in the higher snowy
ranges, and elevated broken stony ground, at elevations of
from 11,000 to 18,000 feet, and mostly on the northern sides
of the first snowy ranges are the places to which, in summer and
early autumn, this species resorts. In the winter they come
in much greater numbers south of these ranges, and may be met
with, my collectors tell me, after heavy snow as low as 7,000
and 8,000 feet in the valleys of the Beds and Sutlcj.
In the northern portions of Kumaun and British Gharwal,
about the sources of the Ganges and Jumna, the Sutlej valley
above the junction of the Buspa, all along the southern side
of the Baralatsi Range, above Samgam, and towards the Manirang
la, in Spiti, Northern Kulu and the range through which
the Rohtung runs, and so on in all the higher ranges inside
the first snowy range westwards to Haztira, they are said to be
common, by different authorities and sportsmen whom I have
consulted, but nowhere have I myself seen them in anything
like the numbers in which I found them on the Parang-la route
from the Tso-mourari, across Spiti to the Babba Pass. Baldwin
says that he once saw upwards of fifty together below the
Niti Pass, and I am sure that in one morning's march along
the Parang-la I saw two hundred, in parties of from ten to
twenty.
With a gun they do not, as a rule, afford any sport ; when
feeding they always have a watch-bird, perched erect on some
projecting stone, who is scarcely to be hoodwinked, and who
at any rate, when you get within 80 or 90 yards, gives the
alarm and raises the whole covey. You may get them driven
over you nicely at times, and you might sometimes stalk them,
if it were worth the tremendous labour such stalks usually
involve in the places they frequent, and occasionally by walking
up to them from below, forming a line of eight or ten men
covering three hundred yards or so in length, where the ground
will permit it, one out of two or three guns may get a fair overhead
shot; but as a rule, wherever I have seen them, the
rifle is the only weapon with which a bag can be made. I have
heard of their being met with so tame that they did not rise
till approached within 30 yards, but I personally have found
that 100 yards was about as near as they would ever let you
approach, and then, if with a small bore single rifle you cannot
secure the sentinel, it is your own fault. It is capital practice,
and in the clear crisp mountain air, surrounded by superb
scenery might tempt any man to pursue it as regular sport,
were it not that just the grey stones that they affect are the
haunts also of the Burrel, and more rarely of the Tahr, which
to most sportsmen present far greater attractions. In Spiti,
however, I went in regularly for it, and my camp followers
seemed to relish the birds as food, though to me they seemed,
after many trials, almost uneatable.
My friend Mr. Wilson's account, as it was one of the earliest
so it remains to this clay incomparably the best and most complete
account of this species. He says :—
" It is confined exclusively to the snowy ranges, or the large
spurs jutting from them which are elevated above the limits
of forest, but is driven by the snows of winter to perform one,
and in some places two, annual migrations to the middle
regions ; in summer they are only seen near the limits of vegetation.
In Kunawar they are common at all seasons from
Cheenec upwards, but on the Gangetic hills, from June till
August, however much a person wanders about on the highest
accessible places, but few are met with, and I have no doubt
whatever but that nearly all which at other seasons frequent
this part, retire across the snow into Chinese Thibet to breed.
About the beginning of September they are first seen near the
tops of the higher grassy ridges, jutting from the snow and the
green slopes above, and about the limits of forest. After the
first general and severe fall of snow they come down in numbers
on to some of the bare exposed hills in the forest regions,
and remain there till the end of March. This partial migration
is probably made in the night after the fall of snow, as
I have invariably found them in their winter quarters early
the next morning. It requires a deep fall to drive them down,
and some mild winters, except a few odd birds, they do not
come at all. The birds on each respective hill seem to have
a particular spot for their winter resort, which they return to
every year the migration is made.
" The Snow Pheasant is gregarious, congregating in packs,
sometimes to the number of 20 or 30, but in general not more
than from 5 to 10; several packs inhabiting the same hill.
In summer the few which remain on our side are found in
single pairs generally, but across the snow, where the great
body migrate, I almost always even then found several together.
They seldom leave the hill on which they are located,
but fly backwards and forwards when disturbed.
" The Ring-tailed Eagle* is an inveterate annoyer of these
birds ; inhabiting such exposed situations where there is nothing
to conceal so large a bird from his sight, as he sails along the
hill side above them, they at once arrest his attention and are
driven backwards and forwards by this unrelenting tormentor
all day long. On the appearance of one of these birds, which
* The birds here referred to are the non-adults of the Himalayan Golden Eagle.
Mr. Wilson has sent me numerous specimens —A. O. II.