534 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



never seen the bird in the act, though often led to the spot where 

 they were by the sound. 



It feeds on roots, grubs, insects, seeds, and hemes, and the 

 leaves and shoots of shrubs. It is rather difficult to rear in con- 

 finement when caught old ; and the few chicks I have tried, have 

 also soon died, though possibly from want of proper care and atten- 

 tion. It is singular that of the Hill-pheasants the one most common 

 near the habitations of man, should so ill brook the loss of liberty, 

 while the Jewar, the most retired and solitary of all, is the most 

 easily reconciled to it. The Kalleege lays from nine to fourteen 

 eggs, much similar in size and colour to those of the domestic 

 hen. They are hatched about the end of May." 



811. Gallophasis melanotus,. Blyth. 



Euplocomus, apud Blytii, Cat. 1469 — Karrick-pho, Lepch. — 

 Kirrik, Bhot. — Kalij of Europeans at Darjeeling. 



The Sikim Kalij Pheasant. 



Descr. — Male, the whole upper plumage, including the crest, 

 glossy black ; beneath white ; the feathers of the throat and breast 

 long and lanceolate ; abdomen, vent, and under tail-coverts dull 

 brownish black. 



Bill pale horny yellow ; orbitar skin fine red ; irides brown ; 

 legs horny; weight about 3 lbs. Length 27 inches; wing 9|; tail 

 13 ; tarsus 3. 



The female has the plumage brown, pale and whitish about the 

 head and throat, the feathers of the back tipped with greyisli, and 

 those of the wing-coverts and beneath, broadly edged with white, 

 all the feathers faintly white-shafted. 



The Sikim black Pheasant differs conspicuously from that of 

 Simla by the crest being black, and in having no white on the 

 rump. In this last point, it differs also from another species, Gallo- 

 jihasis Horsfieldii. It extends into Nepal for some distance till it 

 meets the previous species. About Darjeeling it is the only 

 Pheasant at all common, and is not unfrequently put up on the 



