9394 Notices of Books. 



made. The snow-pheasant is gregarious, congregating in packs some- 

 times to the number of twenty or thirty, but in general not more than 

 from five to ten, several packs inhabiting the same hill. In summer 

 the ievf which remain on one side are found in single pairs generally, 

 but across the snow, where the great body migrate, I almost always, 

 even then, found several together. They seldom leave the hill on 

 which they are located, but fly backwards and forwards when dis- 

 turbed. The ring-tailed eagle is an inveterate annoyer of these birds; 

 inhabiting such exposed situations, where there is nothing to conceal 

 so large a bird from his sight, as he sails along the hill-side above 

 them, they at once arrest his attention, and are driven backwards and 

 forwards by this unrelenting tormentor all day long. On the appear- 

 ance of one of these birds, which fortunately for them are not very 

 numerous, they seldom wait till he makes a stoop, but, on his making 

 a wheel near the spot where they are, immediately fly off' to another 

 quarter of the hill ; the eagle never flies after or attacks them on the 

 wing; so that, although he allows them little quietude when near their 

 resort, he only occasionally succeeds in securing one. The jer-moonal 

 never enters forest or jungle, and avoids spots where the grass is long, 

 or where there is underwood of any kind. It is needless to add that 

 it never perches. During the day, if the weather be fine and warm, 

 they sit on the rocks or rugged parts of the hill, without moving much 

 about, except in the morning and evening. When cold and cloudy, 

 and in rainy weather, they are very brisk, and are moving about and 

 feeding all day long. When feeding they walk slowly up-hill, picking 

 up the tender blades of grass and young shoots of plants, occasionally 

 stopping to snatch up a certain bulbous root, of which they seem very 

 fond. If they reach the summit of the hill, after remaining stationary 

 for some time, they fly off" to another quarter, alighting some distance 

 down, and again picking their way upwards. When walking they' 

 erect their tails, have a rather ungainly gait, and at a little distance 

 have something the appearance of a large gray goose. They are par- 

 tial to feeding on spots where the sheep have been kept at nights, 

 when grazing in the summer pastures. These places have been called 

 'tatters' by the shepherds, and the grass on them keeps green and 

 fresh long after the rest of the hill is quite dry and brown. They roost 

 on the rocks and shelves of precipices, and return to one spot many 

 successive nights. Their call is a low soft whistling, occasionally 

 heard at intervals throughout the day, but more generally at daybreak. 

 It is most common in cloudy weather. The first note is considerably 

 prolonged, and followed by a succession of low rapid whistles, and it 



