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MISCELLANEOUS NOTES, 847 



No. Xlll.— EXTRACTS FROM " A MONOGRAPH OF THE 

 PHEASANTS BY WILLIAM BEEBE." 



As these extracts may be of interest to Entomologists and others who 

 have not access to the above fine and expensive work, I have copied them 

 out and send them along. 



Under " Daily Round of Life" of the Himalayan Blood Partridge 

 (Ithaffenes cruentus, Hardw.) on pages 10, 11 of the above volume the author 

 writes : — '* Once in Nepal close to the Sikhim line, [ found a family of 

 five Blood Partridges feeding in a most interesting way. The region was 

 devoid of all but grassy vegetation with a few scattered clumps of 

 low barberry bushes. A heavy snow fall, unseasonable, as it was mid 

 April, had covered the ground and hidden all the seeds and leaves of the 

 low-growing plants. What I had not noticed during previous days was 

 now made conspicuous by the back ground of snow the abundance of 

 }umps of tall sterus, each topped with the seed-case of a last year's lily. 

 These three-parted, brown and brittle cups showed where in past months 

 ha^l bloomed scores of red and yellow blossoms. I was able to watch the 

 fee ling Partridges for only a few minutes before a Raven discovered me 

 anfl croaked his disapproval, sending the covey scuttling ofi' along the 

 hillside and over the nearest ridge. At the same time a flock of pipits 

 find finches flew up and away. 



The snow was soft and I read in its surface the confirmation of what 

 I had observed. The Partridges had appeared to be leaping up at the 

 seed-cases, or pressing against and bending down the stems. I carefully 

 examined many which had been thus disturbed and found that there was 

 good reason for these actions. 



The fierce gales and winds of the past winter had tipped and swayed 

 the lily-seed goblets, and the flat, reddish seeds had been scattered over 

 moss and snow, skimming along on their circular wings for many yards 

 around. But with all this upsetting, only about half the seeds had been 

 shaken out. 1 have spoken in a previous paragraph of the insect life 

 which was noticeable even after a heavy fall of snow and I found that one 

 secret of their presence was the half-emjstied seed-cases, which, on these 

 high, treeless barrens, formed safe and snug retreats. Into one case a 

 rove-beetle had crawled ; into another a small moth, although, owing to 

 the number of seeds still remaining, the tips of the insects' wings 

 protruded from the top. Here two tiny flies were resting, hardly able to 

 use their legs, much less their wings, in the chill of the morning. There 

 is no doubt but that these insects remain in their retreats in a state of 

 semi-frozen hibernation until the return of more seasonable weather. 



When the snow and ice covered thickly all other food, the Blood Part- 

 ridges found here bountiful feast, both of seeds and insects in the lily 

 cases. The maze of tracks revealed the patience and activity of the 

 Partridges in levelling the stems, while in a wider circle around the scene 

 of action the dainty footprints of skylarks, pipits, finches were every- 

 where interlaced showing that they had learned how to secure a portion 

 of the stray seeds which were thrown upon the white surface from the 

 efl'orts of the Partridges. 



When I found that this habit of the Partridges was common to the 

 several flocks which I had the opportunity of observing, I realized how it 

 was possible for these birds to remain at such high, barren altitudes when 

 all other sources of nourishment were sealed by frost and snow. I 

 investigated the seed-cases of a half dozen lily clumps four hundred 

 yards apart with these interesting results — 



Nine were empty except for a scattering of seeds. 



Twenty-six held a single earwig each. 



