(, 182.) 
sizes. The old priest flung grain in handfulls in amongst them, 
without stint, and soon they were pecking away merrily, for all they 
were worth. They seemed to forget their wild nature, and looked 
like a crowd of domesticated fowls. There were peahens with their 
well developed broods ; lordly peacocks strutted fearlessly about 
with magnificent tails. All of them, birds which had only a few 
minutes before rushed into the nearest thicket at approach of a 
human being, or flown into long elephant grass for safety at the 
slightest rustle within earshot. I learned later on, that this daily 
feeding of peafowls, at a fixed hour was an old established custom 
at the temple. I thought at the time, ample opportunities one had 
of observing habits and other peculiarities of these birds and how 
much closer one could get to them, in their wild state, when once 
their confidence had been gained. Peacocks can be looked upon as 
friends of animals, birds and human beings generally. How often 
has one, when out shooting big game in the Terai, been warned of 
the approach of a big tiger by the cries and restlessness of wild 
peacocks, not that these birds need fear anything, themselves, from 
master stripes ; but as soon as they observe, the slow cat-like, stalk- 
ing of the man and his dusky companions, as is often the case, ap- 
proaching the Tiger unprepared may be, peacocks seem to do all in 
their power to attract attention to the impending danger, not far 
ahead, much to the disgust of stripes. 
The next bird to follow the Peacock is Argus Pheasant. It is 
sometimes called Pea-pheasant. These beautiful birds are not 
found in the district. They frequent more particularly Indo-Chi- 
nese districts to the east and south of us. 
Sup-Famity PHASIANIN Zé (Pheasants ) ‘ 
frequent more or less the hill portions of India, in preference, 
temperate climates. Tail, in most of the species, is long ; head 
usually crested. 
GENUS LOPHOPHORUS, has a pea-cock like crest ; bill lengthened 
and hooked at the tip ; tail short, slightly rounded at the tip ; plum- 
age is rich green, with a metallic golden gloss. 
(804) LOPHOPHORUS IMPEYANUS, Monaul Pheasant. This beau- 
tiful bird is closely allied to pea-fowl, and connect the latter birds to 
pheasants. They remind us not a little of both groups. Monaul 
pheasants used to be found plentiful beyond Sandakpbu, and the 
