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P O L Y P L E C T R O N TIBETANUM
im urn
Polyplectrum thibetanum, Gmelin.
Vernacular Names.—[Doungkulla, Arakan and Pegu; Shuaydong, Tennasserial
; Munnowur, Dcyodahuk, Assam ; Deo-durug, Dco-dirrik, O'ara Hills ;
Paisa-walla Majur, (Coolee jargon) Tea gardens, Caekar.]
jfjjllfjT is in the dense hill forests of the Indo-Burmese
_^y-|rJk region that the Grey Peacock-Pheasant has its
fedr®- Its furthest limits northwards and westwards, so
tf&KB1 far as I yet know, are the Baxa Duars and the
vAHp> outer slopes of the Bhutanese Himalayas. Eastt<
f°* wards it is far from rare, in suitable localities in
the Eastern Duars, the northern portions of Goalpara, Kamriip,
and Darrang, and possibly, but I have no certain information on
the subject, further east. South of the Brahmaputra it occurs in
the Gdro, Khasia, and Naga Hills, in Sylhct, Cachar, Hill Tipperah,
Chittagong, Arakan, Pegu and Tenasserim, as far south
as Tavoy, and perhaps some distance further, but not, according
to our present information, so far down as Mcrgui town.
Outside our limits, we know that it occurs in Independent Burma
and Western Siam, but its eastern limit, like that of the
Burmese Pea-Fowl, has yet to b e defined.
Tins SPECIES occurs at very varying elevations ; I have received
it from places in Cachar and Sylhet, and from the base of Nwalebo
in Tenasserim, from localities little above sea level, and
again Davison obtained it almost at the summit of Mooleyit, at
quite 6,000 feet elevation.
But though it occurs right down on the plains, it is so far a
Hill Pheasant, that it chiefly affects hills and their immediate
neighbourhood, and is never found in any considerable numbers
at any great distance from these.
In Tenasserim we have usually found it singly or in little parties,
very shy and keeping to the densest portions of the forest.
Without dogs it is almost impossible to flush it, as it much
prefers running to flying. It is easy, however, to find if any are
in the jungle you are searching, as, on a gun being fired, every
male that is within hearing at once begins to call. Their note
is a long-drawn, harsh, somewhat bark-like, qua-qiui-qua, often
repeated,