76 FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS OF THE SOUTH KONKAN. 



hillside jungles, and well-wooded ravines. They are also 

 found sparingly in the Sahyadri forests, both on the summit 

 and the western and eastern slopes. 



" In no part of Ratnagiri are Pea-Fowl kept in a state of 

 semi-domesticity as they are in other parts of India, and they 

 are consequently wild and shy wherever found." * * * " In 

 the jungles and forests Pea-Fowl eat various fruits and berries, 

 such as the wild fig ( Covillio glomerata) and the korinda 

 (Carissa carandas).'''' 



Pea-Fowl are also plentiful in Savant Vadi, where their 

 plumes are largely used in decorating hand-screens and mats, 

 made of the roots of the kaskas grass. The feathers are collected 

 in the jungles by the villagers and find a ready sale in the 

 market. 



813— Gallus sonnerati, Tem. 



| Savant Vadi. 

 Common in the forests on the top of the Sahyadri, but 

 scarce on the western slopes, which alone are included within 

 Ratnagiri and Savant Vadi limits. Very rarely strays towards 

 the Coast, but is sometimes found on high hills between the 

 Ghats and the Coast, and detached from the main range by 

 deep valleys. 



814.— Galloperdix spadiceus, Gm. 



Kelshi. I Dhamapur. 



I Savant Vadi. 



Common on the western slopes of the Ghats ; and found 

 sparingly in thick hillside jungle and temple groves through- 

 out the tract. 



829.— Coturnix communis, Bonn. 



| Khed. | 



Scarce and very uncertain in its arrival. A very few may 

 be flushed in the cold weather in the fields of Pigeon Pea 

 and Doliclws on the alluvial banks of the large rivers, and 

 a few in grassy uplands ; but a large bag can never be 

 made. 



Coturnix coromandelica, Gm. 



Eelshi. | Lavel. | 



Rain Quail are also very scarce indeed. Now and then a 

 few brace are bagged in the cold weather in crops and grass, 

 but it is seldom worthswhile beating for them on specula- 

 tion. I have never seen or heard any during the rains, but my 

 observations at this time of the year have always been limited 



