124 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



in rocky places between 13,500 and 14,500 feet altitude, 

 but I never met with one in that region. The only specimen 

 that came under my observation was strolling about the margin 

 of rocky scrub immediately above a wood of alpine Larch 

 on the Ta-p'ao shan (between Romi Chango and Tachienlu), 

 alt. 12,000 feet. In this particular locality I was told the 

 Monal was fairly plentiful, but I doubt it. Hunters are ever 

 on the look out to shoot and trap this bird, and the species is 

 undoubtedly threatened with extinction. 



In the adult male the top and side of head is metallic green 

 with violet reflections ; eye-patch naked, very bright blue ; 

 occipital tuft of long feathers, purple with metallic reflections ; 

 back of neck and upper part of back intense golden-copper 

 colour ; upper side of wings with bright blue and green reflec- 

 tions, washed with golden green on the shoulders ; lower part of 

 back and rump white, with some angular blue spots on side of 

 upper tail-feathers, the longest of which are steel-blue ; under- 

 parts of body black, glossed with green ; tail rather broad and 

 rounded ; coverts, black and green with white spots ; legs 

 feathered to the spur, which is stout ; below spur the legs and also 

 the feet are greenish-brown ; total length, 36 to 40 inches. The 

 females are brown, mixed with blackish and grey. The males 

 assume adult plumage the second year ; in their first year's 

 plumage they are similar to the female birds. 



The magnificent bird has several local names. Around 

 Tachienlu it is commonly caUed " Hwa-t'an che " (" Oak 

 Charcoal Chicken "), or " Hoa-t'an che " (" Burning Charcoal 

 Chicken "), both names having reference to the colour of the 

 upper-part of the back and neck, which resembles the intense 

 glow of a charcoal fire in full blast. A Thibetan name, which 

 is used around Tachienlu and Sungpan Ting, is " Koa-loong." 

 This name has reference to, and indeed simulates, the call of 

 these birds, which is clear and distinctly quadrisyllable. This 

 caU is usually heard in the early morning, but in wet weather 

 it may be heard at any time of the day. 



A favourite food of this bird is said to be the bulbs of various 

 species of Fritillaria. The bulbs, known as " Pei-mu," are 

 highly valued as medicine by the Chinese, and many men earn 

 their livelihood collecting these and other medicinal herbs in 



