TJIE (!AMi: iniilJS OF IM)1A. 185 



is also the commuu pheasant of Mauipur, the Noitli-Wesl Chin 

 Hills, in the lower portions Avandering down the Chindwin as far as 

 its junction witli the Yn River, and down the Irrawaddy at least as 

 far as Katha, or indeed (vide Watson in loc. cit.) as far as JNIojok 

 in the Ruby !Mines District. 



A specimen in the British ^Museum is labelled "Manbhuni," but 

 I do not think for a moment it was really collected in any district 

 South of the Ganges. 



The elimination of czivieri has been rendered uecessarj'', in part 

 owing- to the fact that it has latterly been proved that wherever 

 this form is found either horslieldi or irilliamsi is also found, whilst 

 at the same time, the former has been obtained further South and 

 further East than any of the few existing specimens of cuvieri have 

 yet been taken. The other reason which has decided me in no 

 longer recognising cuvieri as a true form is that there are several 

 specimens similar in every way to this, so-called sub-species, but 

 which shew by their irregular markings that they are merely 

 hj-brids. Finall}', with further material added to that to which I 

 could refer in 1914, I am convinced that it is quite impossible to 

 \aj down any definite area in which only cuvieri can be found. 



Nidif cation. — The Black-breasted Kalij breeds throughout its 

 area from the level of the Plains up to about 2,000 feet; above this 

 height it is much less common, but a few nests may here and there 

 be taken up to some 3,000 feet, whilst a few odd birds breed up to 

 4,000 feet and even higher. Thus I once took a nest containing 8 

 eggs near Hangrum, in the Cachar Hills at about 5,000 feet. Two 

 or three times it has bred below Shillong in the Khasia Hills at 

 about the same heioht, and aoain below Kohima in the Naga Hills 

 at much the same elevation. In the Chin Hills, Mauipur and 

 Arrakan their eggs have been taken or the 3'oung seen at some 

 0,000 feet or more, but all these nests are merely those of stragglers 

 which have been forced for some reason to breed in places ^\•ell 

 above their normal breeding points. 



Most birds breed in April and Ma}', and, owing to its not breed- 

 ing over so great a range of elevation, the season is not so pro- 

 longed as is that of some of its nearest relations. At the same 

 time I have seen nests and eggs in every month of the year from 

 February to September, and it is quite possible that some pairs 

 have two broods in the yea,v. In North Cachar nests were e.Ktre- 

 mel}^ common between the loth March and 15th May, and then 

 for a time they were very difficult to obtain, but in Jul}^ and early 

 August many birds again started laying. The earliest nest I have 

 known was one taken by myself at Dimagi in North Lakkimpur 

 on the 24th February in a small jjatch of scrub jungle close beside 

 a huge bheel over which we were duck shooting. Startled by the 

 shot fired at some duck, the two birds, which were probably 



4 



