a human footstep they invariably run, if they can; and

isturbe i hearing
on trees except when disturbed by a dog; on hearing
at these or any other game-birds that

it is anything but an easy matter in Sikhim to get a fair shot | - in
inhabit that country. When they do rise, they always fly down the side of the mountain 5 and : e ae any
4 a Ree va -y rapidly, is, to a man who perhaps for
glimpse one gets of a scarlet object between the trees, flying very 2 vase P I
as been toiling on hands and knees, and creepit |
Shooting under such difficulties is therefore but little practised by
oO

r game for the table, generally hire a native, either a Lepcha

1 iously h ig through prickly bushes as silently
some hours previc us ,

as possible, anything but satisfactory.
Enropeans; those who want skins of birds, 0
or Nepaul man, who, by lying close near the known haunts
within shot. The winter months, when the underwood is not so dense as at other seasons, are the only
period of the year at which even the natives can get at pies ae ae
hedge of bushes about 3 feet high, extending down the sides of a hill, like the sides of a triangle with the

base open. The sides are made to gradually converge until eo
e then slowly driven by men on foot, walking in line, towards

of the birds, and imitating their call, draws them
The usual plan of capture is by making a

near the apex, where small gaps are left, in

S . ir 2 ye \ « eo
each of which a noose is placed. The birds ar
the base of operations, if I may so call it; and the birds, continuing to run instead of resorting to flight,

dash through the openings and are caught in the nooses.
generally four or five of the former to one of the latter.

A curious fact with regard to this mode of
capture 1s, that the proportion of males to females is a Da
The birds brought into Darjeeling for sale are usually sold for about four shillings each, if it happens to be

I have seen them sold at two shillings each. Early morning or the

a dry season, but generally more.
after them; and the former is preferred by the natives. They are then

evening are the best times to go
heard calling on all sides, and, by dint of severe crawling and creeping, oa Hs the chance of a shot, which
as likely as not will be at the bird running ; and the sportsman must avail himself of the very first glimpse
of the bird to fire, or he will not be likely to see it a second time.”

“Tt is quite impossible,” says Mr. Bartlett, “to convey in writing or by a drawing the EEO
beauty of the living male bird while courting the female; no language can accurately describe it ; and
the vibratory motion of the head and neck renders a drawing out of the question. It must be seen to be
mienecande: Mr. T. W. Wood, in some notes communicated to Mr. Bartlett, gives the following account
of the birds as seen by him in the Zoological Society’s Gardens :—‘‘ The males can only be seen to
advantage in the early morning and in the evening, as they conceal themselves during the day; the females,
however, are less retiring in their habits. When the male is not excited, the horns lie concealed under two
triangular patches of red feathers, their points meeting at the occiput; the large wattle is also concealed or
displayed at the will of the bird. The male has three distinct modes of ‘showing off, if I may be
allowed the expression. After walking about rather excitedly, he places himself in front of the female with
the body slightly crouching upon the legs, and the tail bent downwards ; the head is then violently jerked
downwards, and the horns and wattle become conspicuous; the wings have a flapping motion, and the
bright red patch on them is fully displayed. The whole of the neck appears to be larger than usual during
this action, as do also the horns, which, moreover, vibrate with every movement. This scene is concluded
by the bird suddenly drawing himself up to his full height, with his wings expanded and quivering, the horns
erect, and the wattle fully displayed. The second mode consists of simply erecting all his feathers and
elevating one shoulder, thereby exposing a greater surface to view, without, however, showing his head-
dress. The third mode is by simply standing boldly erect on an elevated perch, giving the head one or
two sudden shakes, and causing the horns and wattle to appear for a few moments.”

As any description, however accurate, must fail to convey a just notion of the colouring of this fine
bird, I shall content myself with referring my readers to the accompanying plate, in which it is correctly
depicted. The female represented in the upper figure differs greatly from the male, bemg of a sombre
brown mottled with a darker tint, and with a few faint white Imes on the upper part of the back and wing-
coverts ; primaries chestnut, banded with dark brown; chin whitish; under surface ornamented with white
lines which increase in size from the breast to the vent.

The young males resemble the females, and when assuming the plumage of maturity are spotted with red
on the neck, wings, and under surface.

“The eggs” are described by Mr. Sclater to be of a ‘‘ creamy white, minutely freckled and blotched with
two shades of pinkish grey, and measure 2°45 by 1°8 inch.” Mr. Bartlett states that the young birds, when
nearly hatched, are not unlike the chicks of the Woodgrouse (Capercaillie), and that their wings are then
sufficiently developed to enable them to mount the branches of trees or shrubs.

The Plate represents an adult male, about two-thirds of the natural size, and contains a reduced figure
of the same sex displaying the horns and wattle, and a still further reduced female.