SPORT IN WESTERN CHINA 121 



woods and shrub-clad country. It prefers steep mountain- 

 slopes, covered with arborescent vegetation, and in summer, 

 when the foliage is on the trees, is most difhcult to find. In 

 winter it may occasionally be surprised, early in the morning 

 and evening, near the margins of cultivation and close to thick 

 cover. Like all the woodland pheasants these birds will only 

 take wing when hard pressed and usually afford only a chance 

 snap-shot. A heavy bird, the Tragopan flies at almost the 

 speed of an ordinary pheasant, and always makes straight for 

 dense brush or timber. The Chinese entrap them alive in the 

 same way as they do the Golden and Amherst Pheasants. 

 They are esteemed highly as pets and they sell for 3 to 5 ounces 

 of silver each — a high price in these regions. The markings on 

 the wattle are supposed to resemble the Chinese character for 

 longevity, hence the common name, " T'so che." They are re- 

 garded as birds of good omen, bringing good-luck and long life to 

 their fortunate owners. Every year numbers are brought down 

 to Ichang for sale, where they find ready purchasers. In the 

 mountains they apparently adapt themselves to captivity, but 

 in the Yangtsze Valley proper the climate is too hot for them. 



In the male the plumage of the upper-parts of the body 

 generally is dark brownish-crimson, spotted with small whitish 

 spots ; breast, indian-red, blotched with grey ; crown, rufous- 

 crimson ; ears and lower eye-patch, indigo blue ; wattle, indigo 

 blue with flesh-coloured markings ; tail, short and broad ; 

 total length, 24 to 26 inches. The female has no wattle and 

 the general colour of the plumage is brownish-buff, barred 

 and spotted with darker colours ; total length, 18 to 20 inches. 



The short tail and heavy body make the birds appear 

 heavy in flight, and shooting them would be moderately easy 

 did one but get fair chances. The Tragopan is a good table- 

 bird, but to shoot them for this|purpose alone would be gross 

 vandalism. They feed on grain and berries, and are especially 

 fond of the fruits of Cotoneaster and allied shrubs and 

 of maize. South of Ichang this bird is much rarer than in the 

 mountains north-west of this town and in western Szechuan. 



The other species of Tragopan {T. cahoti) found in China 

 is confined to the eastern part of the country, being found 

 in the provinces of Fokien and Kiangsu. 



