PHASIANUS. 59 



nearly the extreme limits of forest, but more abundant in the lower and 

 intermediate ranges, where its favourite haunts are wooded ravines and hill 

 sides where oak and chestnut are plentiful. It is found singly or in pairs. 

 There is much difference of opinion as to whether it is good eating, but all 

 agree that it affords good sport. Hume says the spot for Koklass is either 

 some depression or saucer-like valley, or some place in a gorge where a 

 horizontal plateau is thrown out inside the gorge. October and November 

 are said to be good months about Mussoorie for Koklass. 



It feeds chiefly on leaves and buds, also roots, grubs, acorns and berries. 

 Breeds in May throughout the Himalayas in all well-wooded localities within 

 the limits above indicated. Eggs, 6 — 9, oval, more or less pointed towards 

 the small end ; of a rich pale buff colour, densely and thickly speckled and 

 spotted, or boldly and thinly blotched and splashed with deep reddish brown. 

 They vary in size from i'8^ to 2-29 in length, and from i'39 to I'S? in 

 breadth. 



Gen. Phasianus.— £z"«^«. 



Tail long, cuneate, of 1 8 feathers ; cheeks naked ; tarsi spurred in the 

 males. 



74. PhasianuS Wallichii {Hardzv.), Goitid, Cenl. Hhn. B. 

 pi. 68 ; Jcrd,, B. Iitd. iii. p. 527; Hume and Marsh., Game Birds i, p. 169; 

 Elliott, Mon, Phas. i. pi. ; Murray, Avif. Brit. hid. ii. p. 539, No, 1 197.— 

 The Cheer Pheasant. 



Head of Phasianus Hardwickii. 



Head with a crest composed of a few long hair-like feathers and dark ashy 

 in colour ; neck pale ashy, barred narrowly with dusky black ; back and 

 scapulars and rump pale reddish chestnut, barred with bluish black ; tail 

 with the two long middle feathers pale yellow, broadly barred and speckled 

 with black ; the rest barred with pale yellow, black, and dark chestnut ; chin 



