BIRDS IN BRITISH GARHWAL. 157 
then he goes on to remark that this curious local migration is probably governed 
by the birds’ food supply. These statements I can fully confirm from my ex- 
perience of their occurrence in Garhwal, only I would add that in Garhwal 
they do not seem to appear at all in four seasons out of five. During my ten 
years’ residence in this district I only saw this species in two seasons. One of 
these was the winter of 1917-18 when there were immense quantities of banj 
(Quarcus incana) acorns, and during this winter from the beginning of December 
up to the end of March they were to be seen in flocks of 50 to 100 birds in practi- 
cally every banj forest in the district, generally at about 6,000’ elevation. The 
last date on which I saw them was 3rd April. I examined the crops of several 
birds and nearly always found them full of banj acorns, as many as 47 being 
taken from a single bird’s crop, and I feel sure that these acorns are the princi- 
pal attraction which affects their migration to these parts. They also eat the 
seed of the chir pine of which I have taken 85 seeds from a single bird’s crop, 
and green Jeaves and shoots are also not infrequently found to have been eaten, 
though I never succeeded in identifying the plants to which they belonged. 
Turtur ferrago (1305).—The Indian Turtle-Dove. 
During the breeding season this dove is extremely abundant in all well-wooded 
parts of the hills at elevations between 5,500’ and 10,500’, Blanford says that 
it breeds at elevations from 4,000’ to 8,000’, and Stuart Baker whilst quoting a 
record of a nest found at 8,500’ does not suggest that the usual height at which 
they breed may exceed 8,000’. I am, however, quite convinced that they breed 
in Garhwal in large numbers as high as 10,500’, as in June they are quite common 
up to this height though they perhaps do not go much higher. That I never 
actually found a nest above 8,000’ was Iam sure merely becauss I never looked 
for their nests and did not happen to come across one. 
Gallus furrugineus (1328).—The Red-Jungle Fowl. 
Jungle fowl are found only in the outermost ranges and do not penetrate fur- 
ther than the Nayar valley which lies just north of Lansdowne. In this respect 
their distribution here corresponds with that of the pea fowl. 
Catreus wallichi (1333).—The Cheer Pheasant. 
A morning bag at 7,000’ 8 Cheer Pheasant and one Kalij. 
