486 



THE BIRDS OF NORTH CACHAR. 



Part X. 

 Br E. C. Stuart Baker, f.z.s., m.b.o.u. 

 {Continued from Page 405 of Vol. XI.) 

 Order— GALLINiE XII. 

 Sub-Order— Alectoropodes. 

 Family Phasianhim, 

 (542) Pavo cf.istatus. — The Common Peafowl. 

 Hume, No. 803 ; Blanford, No. 1324. 

 1 see that Blanford says that there are no peafowl in Sylhet, Cachar 

 or Manipur. On the extreme north and far up the Kopili on the 

 north-east, the peafowl is very common and the young are often 

 caught and domesticated by the Mikirs, and yet even more frequently 

 the eggs are taken and hatched under hens. They are domesticated 

 with the greatest ease, as long as both sexes are kept, and become 

 extremely tame. 



(543; Pavo muticus. — The Burmese Peafowl. 

 Hiime, No. 804 ; Blanford, No. 1325. 

 In 18^8, five eggs were brought to me by a Mikir who said they 

 were the eggs of a peafowl different to the common sort. He described 

 the birds as having straight horns, and said that the Mozedar had some 

 of the same kind tame. I went to see this man, Jeng Mikir, who was 

 the head of the Mikirs in North Cachar, and saw his peafowl which were 

 undoubted specimens of the Burmese birds. I then went after the 

 owners of the eggs which had been brought to me and succeeded in 

 shooting the male, a fine specimen of muticus. This is the only speci- 

 men I have ever shot ; all others being the common cristatus. Jeng 

 could give me no details as to where his were caught ; but says that 

 they belonged originally to his grandfather and had been caught at 

 a time when peafowl were common all over Cachar and Manipur, 

 wherever the ground was suitable. I have heard of peafowl being seen 

 on the high grass up lands north of Imphal, but cannot say whether 

 the reports were true or not. 



(544) PoLYPLBCTRUM CHiNQUis. — The Grey Peacock-Pheasant. 

 Hume^ No. 803 quat ; Blanford, No. 1327. 

 Common all over the lower hills and well into the plains. They breed 

 in March, April and May, laying from two to six eggs, generally four 



