SOME BIRDS OBSERVED AT FAGOO, NEAR SIMLA. 775 



62. The Sparrow Hawk — Accipiter nisus, (L.), 

 Not uncommon about Fagoo. 



53. The Shahin Falcon — Falco peregrinus peregrinator, Sundev. 



On one occasion when L was collecting on an open hillside a Falcon, 

 apparently of this species, stooped at a small bird that I had dis- 

 turbed and passed over my head at such a pace and with such a 

 noise that I was considerably startled; in a second or two it was so 

 far away over the valley that I had no chance to verify the species. 



54. The Kestrel — Falco tinnuncuLus, L. 



Common about Fagoo and continually engaged in altercations 

 with larger raptores. 



55. The Indian Turtle Dove^ — Streptopelia turtur ferrago, (Eversm.) 



During my visit to Kiifri in August this dove had been very 

 common along the road, but it was probably then on migration 

 and had moved away later, as on this trip I found it to be com- 

 paratively scarce, only five or six individuals being seen in all. 



56. The Common Peafowl — Pavo cristatus, Linn. 



A single pea-hen was flushed in some Ilex jungle at about 

 7,000 feet when we were beating for pheasants. 



57. The White-crested Kalij Pheasant — Gennceus albomstatus, (Vig.). 



I devoted two days of my short time to looking for pheasants 

 and found that this species was sufficiently common on a ridge 

 near Fagoo. The summit of the ridge was about 7,500 feet in 

 elevation and comprised a "protected forest" of dark and 

 gloomy Deodar jungle with comparatively little undergrowth. 

 Below the protected area patches of pines and Ilex alternated 

 with open hillside and cultivation, the trees usually occupying 

 those parts of the ground too steep for cultivation. 



The main head-quarters of the pheasants was of course in the 

 protected area but from there they straggled freely down to the 

 woods in the open, and were apparently most numerous in the 

 close neighbourhood of the villages. Owing to the distance from 

 Fagoo I was not out in the early morning or late evening which 

 was stated to be the best time to shoot the birds as they then 

 collected in and about the fields, but I found that in the after- 

 noon many pheasants certainly were to be found in the isolated 

 patches of wood between the fields. 



These pheasants were usually found in small parties of which 

 the inrlividuals rose singly and, when flushed, especially by a 

 dog, frequently settled in a tree at no great distance where they 

 sat motionless. On rising the curious guinea pig like squeak, 

 familiar to all keepers of the ornamental silver pheasant, was 

 freely uttered. A good many birds appeared to be killed by 

 natives who shoot the bird at roost or use dogs to make it take 

 to the trees. 



On other days while collecting I came upon two or three 

 pheasants in heavy undergrowth elsewhere and found then that 

 they sat very close, rising as a rule within a yard or two of my 

 feet. These were, however, I believe Koklas {Pucrasia macrolophus) 

 but in no case did I get a clear view for identification. 



58. The Chukar Partridge — Caccabis chukcir, (Gray). 



I discovered in the course of collecting where two or three 

 coveys were living on the open bush clad hillside near Fagoo, 

 but could not spare the time to make a determined efl"ort to 

 circumvent them. 



