62 llo\'d's natural history. 



abse7it^ and only obscurely represented on both webs of the 

 outer pairs of tail-feathers^ those on the middle pairs bjing 

 rudimentary, and represented by undefined black spots. 

 Total length, 19 inches ; wing, y'l ; tail, 8 ; tarsus, 2*4, 



Range. — Indo-Chinese countries, extending in the north- 

 west to Sikhim, eastwards to the Laos country, and south- 

 wards through Tenasserim as far as Mergui. 



Mr. A. O. Hume writes : — " This species occurs at very 

 varying elevations. I have received it from places in Cachar 

 and Sylhet, and from the base of Nwalabo in Tenasserim, 

 from localities little above sea-level, while, again, Davison 

 obtained it almost at the summit of Mooleyit, at quite 6,000 

 feet elevation. But though it occurs right down on the 

 plains, it is so far a hill-Pheasant that it chiefly affects hills 

 and their immediate neighbourhood, and is never found in 

 any considerable numbers at any great distance from these.'' 



Mr. R. A. Clark gives the following information: — "The 

 Peacock-Pheasant is very common in North-eastern Cachar, 

 where it is found in dense bamboo jungle, on the sides 

 of ravines, and on the tops of the low ranges of hills where- 

 ever there are Jdmun trees, as well as on the banks of the 

 river ' Barak,' wherever it is well-wooded. On the rocky 

 faces of the ' Barak ' banks there is a tree which, during the 

 rainy season, is partially submerged, but in the cold weather 

 bears a fruit with seeds like those of a 'chilli.' On these the 

 birds feed greedily in the early morning and towards sunset. 

 Insects and worms, with this fruit, form their chief food, but I 

 have on one occasion found small land shells and pebbles in 

 the stomach of an adult male. 



" These birds may be heard in the early morning and at 

 sunset calling, and then the male is generally to be found 

 perched on some branch only a few feet off the ground. The 

 call is Ha-ha-ha-ha, something like a laugh, and can be heard 

 from a good distance ; the female's note I have never heard. 



" From November to April these birds are found all over 



