KOKLASS PHEASANT 197 



The cocks weigh from about two to nearly three pounds, the 

 hens up to two, the Nepal race being smaller than the typical 

 one. The propensity of naturalists for species-niggling forces one 

 to waste a good deal of space in describing variations ; coming 

 to more practical points, the koklass is generally reckoned the 

 best bird both for shooting and for eating of all its tribe in 

 India; indeed, Hume says that he "would rather have a good 

 day after koklass in the middle of November, in some little 

 wooded saucer-like valley or depression at 7,000 or 8,000 feet in 

 the Himalayas, where two or three coveys have been marked 

 by one's shikaris, than after any other bird in any other 

 place." Besides such places as are here indicated, koklass, 

 he says, also especially affect " some place in a gorge where 

 a horizontal plateau is thrown out inside the gorge." The birds 

 keep much to the same place, though moving up and down during 

 the day, and should be worked with well-trained dogs and several 

 beaters. 



The birds keep to the wooded parts of the hills, and range up 

 as far as these extend, but do not go lower than about 3,000 feet, 

 preferring the lower to the higher elevations, and liking sloping 

 ground and ravines, especially when the trees are oaks. They are 

 found singly and in pairs as well as in coveys, the last being 

 family parties ; the pairs are generally to be found near each 

 other. 



In places where there is little underbrush, they will run before 

 rising, but otherwise get on the wing, though not till closely 

 approached and forced to rise. Their very rapid flight down hill 

 calls for good shooting ; dogs will often put them up into trees, 

 but when disturbed by man they will fly far and pitch on the 

 ground, where they sometimes roost, though their general habit 

 is to roost in trees. 



They sometimes croak or chuckle when rising, w'hence no 

 doubt the name of Koak in Kulu ; in Kashmir they are called 

 Plas. The Koklass or Pokras note, preceded by a kok kok, is the 

 crow, and in dark shady woods in the interior they will answer 

 any loud noise with it, though it is usually a morning and even- 

 ing call. 



They may be found scratching for insects in rhododendron 



