166 INDIAN SPOKTING BIEDS 



holes was nearly three feet in diameter and some four feet in 

 depth, decreasing, as the hole deepened horizontally into the hill 

 side, to about eight inches. I set a slip noose with a springer in 

 the small part of the holes. On looking next morning, instead of, 

 as I expected, finding the rat, there were only a number of 

 featheirs of the male of this species. I set the trap again, and that 

 evening got nothing ; next morning I found a hen hanging by 

 her legs in the trap." Here were evidently a pair in the habit 

 of going to ground, a custom which needs investigation. The 

 birds, by the way, generally do pair, and seldom more than four 

 are seen together, such parties being probably families, since in 

 captivity only two eggs are laid at a time. The birds begin 

 breeding about May, retreating to the densest jungles at this 

 time, and ceasing to call till the autumn ; the cream-coloured 

 eggs, about two inches long, are laid on the ground under a 

 bush, and the young when hatched run close behind their 

 mother, completely hidden from view by her long broad tail, 

 which she expands to cover them. They are dark chocolate 

 in colour, without stripes, and their slim black legs are noticeable 

 and characteristic, the old birds being particularly fine-limbed, 

 and slaty-black in the colour of these parts. 



This peacock- pheasant is excellent eating ; it feeds on insects, 

 snails, seeds, and especially on certain red berries which are 

 used by the Kookies as bait for their springes. Fortunately, 

 these catch more cocks than hens, but poaching tricks of this 

 sort ought to be made illegal everywhere ; there are plenty of 

 vermin that want killing down everywhere in India, and the 

 destructive energies of natives should be directed on these 

 rather than game-birds. The beautiful plumage of this bird is 

 very suitable for decoration, and if protected during the breed- 

 ing season it might well be made to supply this. 



The tea-garden coolies recognize the affinity of this bird to 

 the peacock by calling it one — Paisa-walla Majur. In North- 

 eastern Cachar they are called Mohr. Munnoioar is an Assamese 

 name as well as that given above, of which the Garo Deo-dirrik 

 is obviously a variant ; while in Tenasserim the name is Shway 

 dong and in Arrakan and Pegu Doung-kulla . Outside our limits 

 this bird is found in Siam. 



