184 INDIAN SPORTING BIRDS 



In its Himalayan home this kahj chiefly frequents the middle 

 and outer ranges, and is also found in the SiwaUks, alone of 

 all the Himalayan pheasants. In winter time it comes down 

 near the roads and cultivation, ranging? in summer up to the 

 haunts of the moonal and tragopan, even as high as 10,000 feet ; 

 but, generally speaking, it may be said to inhabit an intermediate 

 zone between these and the jungle-fowl and peafowl of the 

 foot-hills. 



It always keeps near or in cover of some sort, but prefers 

 low to high jungle, and especially haunts wooded hollows and 

 ravines, even in the interior, where it may be found in any 

 sort of forest ; it does not as a rule go into woods far from 

 human habitations, even the former traces of man's occupation 

 being an attraction to it. Yet, like that most domesticated of 

 birds, the house sparrow, it does not bear confinement at all 

 well ; such birds probably know or suspect man too much to 

 be happy when in his power. 



Its desire for grain, which it can generally procure in human 

 neighbourhood, especially from the droppings of domestic animals, 

 is no doubt the great reason for this approach to the enemy 

 of its kind, but it also, of course, feeds largely on the shoots, 

 berries and insects that form, as it were, the standard natural 

 food of pheasants. 



Although three, four, or a dozen may be found near each 

 other, the birds are not really gregarious, and when breeding 

 go in pairs ; moreover, the cocks are exceedingly pugnacious to 

 each other. Their challenge, common to all the group, is a 

 peculiar drumming made by rapidly whirring the wings. The 

 call is a sharp tweet-tweet or whistling chuckle, given out on 

 rising, and continued excitedly when the bird is treed by some 

 terrestrial foe. When thus treed the kalij is far from being 

 brought to book, for it often keeps a wary eye open, and when 

 discovered will drop down on the wrong side of the tree for the 

 gunner and make off. Its flight is exceedingly fast, but it travels 

 fast on foot also, and unless it has not been worried by man, 

 and so is fairly steady when treed, is not easy to get in any 

 number, and so falls under the head of casual game rather than 

 a regular sporting bird. I can find no note on its edible 



