Common Birds of Western Himalayas 



pause between each note, then suddenly increas- 

 ing loudly and excitedly." 



The kalij usually affords rather poor sport. 



The koklas-pheasant (Pucrasia macrolofha) 

 is another short-tailed species ; but it is more 

 game-like in appearance than the kalij and 

 provides better sport. 



It may be distinguished from the kalij by its 

 not having the red patch of skin round the 

 eye. The cock of this species has a curious 

 crest, the middle portion of which is short and 

 of a fawn colour ; on each side of this is a long 

 lateral tuft coloured black with a green gloss. 

 The cry of this bird has been syllabised as kok- 

 kok-pokrass. 



In the cheer-pheasant (Catreus wellichi) both 

 sexes have a long crest, like that of the kalij, 

 and a red patch of skin round the eye. The 

 tail of this species, however, is long and attenu- 

 ated like that of the English pheasant, measur- 

 ing nearly two feet. Wilson says, of the call of 

 this bird : u Both males and females often crow 

 at daybreak and dusk and, in cloudy weather, 

 sometimes during the day. The crow is loud 

 and singular, and, when there is nothing to 

 interrupt, the sound may be heard for at least 

 a mile. It is something like the words chir-a- 



IOI 



