on some habits oj the Kokla in confinement. 133


On the istjuly, 1910, one of my egg-hunters brought me

a pair of these birds, about a fortnight or three weeks old, from a

nest which he had found, in the neighbourhood of Simla (N.W.

Himalayas), placed on one of the outer branches of a large

oak, at an elevation of about 6,300 feet. The young Koklas were

immediately taken in hand by my wife, and rearing operations

commenced. On being handled at first they would slightly raise

the wing, nearest to their supposed enemy. They were kept in

a small wooden box, lined with some straw and grass, and were

fed about five or six times a day, exclusively on small pieces of

ripe plantains, which had to be thrust down into their mouths.

A little water used occasionally to be poured down their throats

after the last meal in the evenings. When they were almost

fledged, they were transferred to a cage containing two Doves

{Turtur ferr ago), which had also been taken from a nest, and

were being reared by the hand.


By about the end of September the Koklas appeared to

be full grown ; and their irides, which were hitherto brown or

greyish-brown, now assumed the characteristic colouration of the

adult bird, viz., a pale blue ring followed by an outer ring of red.

As far as I can now recollect the birds had, up to this, uttered

110 note of any kind. As the migratory period of this species

had now arrived, I was anxious to see whether my birds would

exhibit those symptoms, which are usually displayed by roving

birds when in confinement, but no such indications were observed.

The Koklas were as dull and inactive as ever, and seemed quite

reconciled to their home.


Towards the latter end of the following November, the

cock began uttering his notes, but these were incomplete, or, in

the language of bird-fanciers, he was only “ recording.” These

“half” notes were generally uttered late in the evenings between

seven and eight p.m.


During the winter the birds throve excellently. Their diet

still consisted of pieces of plantains, which they would accept

sitting on their perches, and only from the hand of their mistress.

If the fruit was placed in the cage it was never touched. They

were fed about four or five times a day. They always drank

water from a cup, which, like their food, had to be held up to



