88 Allen's naturalist's library. 



as I have invariably found them in their winter quarters early 

 the next morning. It requires a deep fall to drive them down, 

 and in some mild winters, except a few odd birds, they do not 

 come at all. The birds on each respective hill seem to have 

 a particular spot for their winter resort, which they return to, 

 every year the nn"gration is made. 



"The Snow Pheasant is gregarious, congregating in packs, 

 sometimes to the number of twenty or thirty, but in general not 

 more than from five to ten ; several packs inhabiting the same 

 hill. In summer the few which remain on our side are found 

 in single pairs generally, but across the snow, where the great 

 body migrate, I almost always, even then, found several to- 

 gether. They seldom leave the hill on which they are located, 

 but fly backwards and forwards when disturbed 



"The Jer-moonal never enters forests or jungle, and avoids 

 spots where the grass is long, or where there is underwood of 

 any kind. It is needless to add that it never perches. During 

 the day, if the weather be fine and warm, they sit on the rocks 

 or rugged parts of the hill without moving much about, except 

 in the morning and evening. When cold and cloudy, and in 

 rainy weather, they are very brisk, and are moving about and 

 feeding all day long. When feeding, they walk slowly uphill, 

 picking up the tender blades of grass and young shoots of 

 plants, occasionally stopping to scratch up a certain bulbous 

 root, of which they seem very fond. If they reach the summit 

 of the hill, after remaining stationary some time, they fly off 

 to another quarter, alighting some distance down, and again 

 picking their way upwards. When walking, they erect their 

 tails, have a rather ungainly gait, and at a little distance have 

 something the appearance of a large Grey Goose. . . . 



"The Jer-moonal is not remarkably wild or shy. When 

 approached from below, on a person getting within eighty or 

 a hundred yards, they move slowly uphill or slanting across, 

 often turning to look back, and do not go very far unless fol- 

 lowed. If approached from above, they fly off at once, with- 



