PHASIANIDtE. 



373 



rapidly, uttering a loud and musical note, which, 

 they repeat at short intervals till they again alight. 

 They are very fond of perching on some bare rock 

 or stone, and from thence siu*veying the ground 

 around them. In the morning and evening, while 

 feeding, it is difficult to get at them, as they are 

 very wary ; but during the heat of the day they are 

 found lazily reposing among the brushwood covers, 

 and unwilling to rise. It is known when they are 

 in any particular locality by the holes they make in 

 the ground in search of food, which consists of 

 bulbous roots and insects. The males are three 

 years in attaining their showy plumage : when first 

 fledged they are scarcely distinguishable from the 

 females. 



The only species, — 



The Monaul, or Impeyan Pheasant (Lophophorus Im- 

 peyanus)^ is a splendid Indian bird, an inhabitant of the 

 mountams of Nepaul and the Himalayas. 





^'^^ 



