628 JOURNAL, BOMB AY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIV. 



Nidification. — There is nothing on record about the nesting of this 

 bird in a state of nature. Bailey found it breeding at Tachienlu in 

 the middle of May at about 12,000 feet, but failed to find its nest. 

 Seebohni records of 5 eggs that they " vary in size from 2*42" x 

 l-7"to2-3"xl'72". In colour they resemble eggs of Perdix lyetrosa . ' ' 

 The only specimen I have in mj^ own collection is one purchased 

 for me from some of the Tibetan feather "dealers who at one time 

 annually visited Darjiling to dispose of their wares. The skins of 

 two birds said to be the parent birds were purchased with it. This 

 egg was reputed to have been taken at a place called Mizsim in 

 N. E, Tibet between the 1st and 10th June, 1892. The appearance 

 of skins and egg when purchased corroborated the date given. The 

 egg is much like that of an ordinarj^ fowl, but of a more smooth and 

 satiny texture with a finer, closer grain. It is coloured a pale bufty 

 grey, and is an ordinar}- oval in shape, measuring 2-2" ( = 55'4 mm.) 

 X 1-66" (=42-1 mm.). It does not agree in appearance with the 

 eggs described by Seebohni, but it agrees in texture, shape and size 

 ^yith those of other species of Eared Pheasants laid in captivit}^ and 

 only differs in colour in being more buff and less green. 



There is a fair series of this Pheasant's eggs in the British 

 Museum taken b}'- A. E, Pratt at Ta-tsien-la, consisting of three 

 clutches of three, four and five eggs respectively. All these eggs 

 were taken in May, the clutch of five, which were evidently' very 

 hard set when taken on the 1 8th of that month. In colour these 

 eggs vary very considerably, the clutch of four is a verj^ pale stone 

 colour, the clutch of three a rich buff, and the third clutch inter- 

 mediate between the two. The texture also differs considerably, the 

 first mentioned clutch having a very fine smooth surface more like 

 that of a duck's egg than a fowl's egg, whilst the second has the 

 surface covered with innumerable tiny pores or pits. The third 

 clutch is here again intermediate between the other two. All have 

 the grain close, extremely hard, and with considerable gloss. All 

 the eggs could be easily matched with those of the domestic fowl. 

 In shape they vary from an ordinaiy to a broad oval. 

 The variation in length is between 2-29" (58*2 mm.) and 2-46" 

 (61-6 mm.), and in breadth between 1-70" (43-2 mm.) and 1-76" 

 (44-7 mm.), the average of the twelve being 2°36" x 1-71" 

 (59-9 X 43-4 mm.). 



The breadth is peculiarly constant, the two larger clutches con- 

 taining seven eggs which measure 43*2 mm, and two measuring 

 43-4 mm. 



General Habits. — The fullest account of the habits of this Pheasant 

 is that given by Pere David, but though it has often been quoted as 

 referring to tibetanum, it undoubtedly refers, in part at all events, to 

 the race drouynii, the tj'pe of which was obtained b)^ Pere David 

 at Moupin. 



