178 



SOME NOTES ON BIRDS FROM GYANTSB AND CHUMBI 



IN TIBET, WITH A LIST OF THE GAME BIRDS 



KILLED DURING THE FOUR YEARS, 1906-1909. 



BY 



Captain F. M. Bailey. 



Monal (L0PH0PH0RU8 BEFULGJENS). Tib.— " C/iac^aw^." 



The Monal is found in the Chumbi Valley up to the tree limit 

 (about 14,000 feet) ; and I found a nest at Lingmotang at 10,000 

 ft. on the 15th May 1904, They have a habit of whistling in the 

 early morning, and at this time it is easy to walk through the thick 

 forest towards the sound and shoot them sitting. I found that 

 the following was the best way to get sporting shots ; two guns 

 would walk quietly along the road and two men would go through 

 the forest above, these men whistled if they saw any Monal and 

 then put them up when they would fly downhill over our heads. 

 I found that the average weights of birds shot in January were 

 cocks 5 lb. and hens 41b. 11 oz. 



Blood Pheasant (ITHAGENE8 CBUENTU8). Tib.—" Semo." 



The Blood Pheasant is common in the Chumbi Valley. I have 

 seen it from 10,000 feet up to the tree limit. It is not a sporting 

 bird, as it seldom flies, and when it does the undergrowth is usually 

 too thick for a shot. I found that the only way to kill the Blood 

 Pheasant was to stalk through the thick forest, usually of rhodo- 

 dendron, which it frequents, and to shoot it on the ground. 



I once saw a Tragopan, which had been killed in the Chu^mbi 

 Valley, and once a Snow Partridge (Leriva lenua), but both these 

 birds must be very scarce. 



Tibetan Snow Cock (TETEAOGALLUS TIBJETANUS). Tib.— 

 " Lhapcha Kongmo " or simply " Kongmo." 



This bird is to be found in the Chumbi Valley above the tree 

 limit. It is fairly plentiful at Phari and near Gyantse, and I have 

 frequently taken nests during June and July at altitudes 

 between 14,500 and 15,500 feet. The reason why only 13 were 

 shot in the four vears is that this bird lives up on the high hills 



