NATURAL HISTORY AND SPORT IN THE HIMATAYAS. 441 
Parus found all over the mountains, often associated with the 
Tree-creepers and Nuthatches, and a Woodpecker, generally 
P. brunnifrons. It was very hot, and the flies were exceedingly 
troublesome, so we made our way back to Koteghur early in the 
afternoon. Before dinner I strolled out in search of nothing in 
particular, and was lucky enough to bag a brace of Cheere 
Pheasants, Phasianus Wallichii, out of a family party of seven or 
eight. They were feeding in a patch of cultivation close to the 
forest below the road; the rest of the covey ran into the wood. 
My spoils were an old cock in perfect plumage, and a young bird 
not worth preserving, but excellent on the table next day. This 
fine species, a true Pheasant, frequents the lower and middle 
ranges, and is said to be partial to certain localities, year after 
year, and not to wander much from them. I have seen them 
close to villages, and they love grassy hill-sides, with or without 
brushwood, or patches of the dwarf bamboo, and the like. They 
run off at a great pace when disturbed, and then lie close; and a 
good dog is of great service in finding them. Vast numbers of 
the Slaty-headed Parrakeet, P. schisticeps, in parties of thirty to 
fifty, flying about previous to roosting in the forest for the night 
I observe that the young bird has the head concolorous, with the 
back and the tail but slightly tinged with yellow or blue, and that 
the wing-spot is not developed till the second year. 
The only Vulture I have noticed here is Gyps fulvus, which is 
a noble looking bird on the wing. It breeds on the shelves of 
precipitous mountain cliffs. There is a small colony of them on 
“Tapp’s Nose,’ at Kussowlie, who increase and multiply in 
winter. I fired three green cartridges at one this evening, but 
failed to bring him to book. I have found the best mode of 
obtaining Vultures and Eagles is by a bait of flesh charged with 
strychnine. Capt. T. brought in a Ghoral and a brace of Wood 
Partridges, but no birds to add to the collection, except a fine 
Buzzard, B. canescens of Hodgson, I believe. 
Koteghur, Oct. 20th.—I had left Mr. Gomez and his man 
busy at work with the birds when we retired last night, and this 
morning, when I proceeded to examine his work, he informed me, 
with well simulated anguish, that the rats must have made off 
with all the birds he meant to have skinned before going to bed. 
Something in his manner made me suspicious that he was a 
clumsy liar, and he could not stand cross-examination. After 
ZOOLOGIST.—NOVEMBER, 1886. 21 
