THE BLOOD PHEASANTS. 



217 



berries of the latter in autumn and winter ; its flesh has always 

 a very strong flavour, and is moreover uncommonly tough j it 

 was, however, the only bird I obtained at those great elevations 

 in tolerable abundance for food, and that not very frequently. 

 The Bhutias say that it acquires an additional spur every 

 year; certain it is that they are more numerous than in any 

 other bird, and that they are not alike on both legs. I could 

 not discover the cause of this difference ; neither could I learn 

 if they were produced at different times. I believe that five 

 on one leg, and four on the other, is the greatest number I 

 have observed." 



Mr. W. T. Blanford adds, in his notes on the zoology of 

 Sikhim :— " All that I saw were in the pine-forests round Yeo- 

 matong, where they were tolerably abundant. They rarely take 

 flight even when fired at, but run away and often take refuge 

 on branches of trees. I have shot five or six out of one flock 

 by following them up ; they usually escape uphill, and if, as 

 frequently takes place, the flock has been scattered, after a few 

 minutes they commence calling with a peculiar long cry, some- 

 thing like the squeal of a Kite. The only other note I heard 

 was a short monosyllabic note of alarm ; I have heard a bird 

 utter this when sitting on a branch within twenty yards of 

 me. 



" In their crops I found small fruits, leaves, seeds, and in 

 one instance what appeared to me to be the spore-cases of a 

 moss ; there were no leaves or berries of juniper, and the birds 

 were excellent eating. We did not notice the unpleasant 

 flavour mentioned by Hooker, probably because better food is 

 abundant at the season when we shot our birds, and they con- 

 sequently do not then feed upon pine or juniper." 



Nest and Eggs. — Nothing definite is known of the Blood 

 Pheasant's nesting habits, but the nest, loosely constructed of 

 grass and leaves, is said to be placed on the ground among 

 grass and bushes, and to contain ten to twelve eggs. 



