THE GAME BIRDS OF INDIA. 13 



as it did then. Hume describes how when out Jungle-fowl shooting 

 in 1853 he once ran into a party of four bears, and was at once 

 charged by an old female whom he succeeded in killing, but at such 

 close quarters that he and the bear all fell over together. 



More than once I have had to shoot surely old boars who resented 

 my intruding on to their feeding ground and once when I had 

 foolishly left my rifle behind when going for an evening's stroll I 

 had to retire in haste, whilst an ill-tempered cow buffalo grunted 

 and pawed the ground in the middle of a mustard patch I wanted 

 to shoot through. On another occasion I had a still more narrow 

 squeak, walking straight on to a tigress engaged in finishing her 

 meal off a wretched Mikir coolie whom she had killed. She was 

 fortunately full and apparentlj^ did not quite understand what the 

 object in front of her was, and eventually was good enough to 

 make off, but as I only had a shot gun in my left hand and was too 

 near her to risk changing it into my right, it was with no small 

 relief I saw her leap to one side and rush away through the grass. 

 The next year, curiously enough, when again Jungle- fowl shooting 

 in the same place, I again saw her, this time at a safe distance, and 

 was enabled to add her to my string of Jungle-fowl and Pheasant. 



The crow of a Jungle-cock is quite a game wild sound, very like 

 that of the game bantam; it is, however, always recognisable by its 

 shrill yet full note, and, above all, by its very abrupt termination. 

 In the domestic bird the last note is the one usually prolonged and 

 most dwelt upon, whereas in the wild bird the last note is the 

 shortest. Even in those parts of its habitat where the domestic 

 birds are for the most part so constantly crossed with wild birds 

 that they are to all intents and purposes of the same breed I think 

 the full abrupt note of the really wild bird can be always re- 

 cognised. 



They do not crow much during the cold weather, though even 

 in these months an odd bird or two may be heard throughout the 

 day, whilst nearly every bird within hearing will be heard calling 

 every morning and evening. In the breeding season, however, 

 they not only crow several times just before daybreak and after 

 sunset, but they crow constantly during the day, and are only quiet 

 for the hottest hoiirs between noon and three or four o'clock. 



During the breeding season, they do occasionally crow when 

 strutting . about on the ground, breathing defiance against every 

 other cock in. the neighbourliood, but as a rule they mount some 

 convenient stump, or perch on a bamboo or tree branch and from 

 this point of vantage challenge other birds to mortal combat with 

 many crowings and flapping of wings. 



Even, however, when they announce their presence thus to any 

 sportsman who may be near, "they are so wily and so sharp of hear- 

 ing that it takes a very careful stalk to enable one to get a shot. 



