198 A MONOGRAPH OF THE PHEASANTS 



grain, and the birds of the year are then really good eating, but, as a rule, the birds one 

 shoots (be it confessed with shame, for it ought to be a close season) from March to June, 

 tiger-shooting in the Terai, when, the day's sport over, one turns homeward towards the 

 tents, are no whit better than ordinary village fowls." — (Hume). 



"The best shooting I ever got at this species was at Jalpaiguri, where the nallas, or 

 beds of stream, in the neighbourhood, which are common in that country, and filled with 

 jungle, gave cover to very many of these birds. When put up by beaters they fly out at 

 a considerable pace, and require a good knock-down blow to bag them. They run, too, 

 a great deal. In the Manbhoom district the native shikaris used to get many of them 

 by placing corn near some water in the half-dried-up beds of streams, and then 

 shooting them when they came there both in the early morning and evening to eat and 

 drink." — (Beavan). 



''This bird must be sought in all jungly country which is partly cultivated ; and 

 where paddy-fields extend in long strips into the forest, two sportsmen walking on each 

 side just within the cover, with a line of beaters between them, can enjoy very pretty 

 shooting. The fowls rise from the stubble and fly into the wood, passing overhead, and 

 the sport resembles pheasant-shooting in England, the flight and size of the birds being 

 pretty similar. When the fields have been cleared of the fowls, the shooting may be 

 continued with success in the woods, if they be pretty open, and the sportsman furnished 

 with spaniels, the sight of which forces the birds to tree, from whence very pretty snap- 

 shots may be obtained, as they will often rest on a high branch till the sportsman has 

 arrived underneath before taking wing again. Both cocks and hens make a desperate 

 cackling and flutter when thus roused up by dogs, and I know of no shooting which 

 requires greater nerve and steadiness. If there are no dogs the birds will not tree, 

 but run slyly and silently along and are seen no more, unless you be mounted on an 

 elephant, when it is easy enough to pot them, should you be so minded, as they skulk 

 under the brushwood."— (Col. Tickell). 



'' In some places, where the borders of the forest are much broken and irregular, 

 and the villagers have cultivation here and there between patches of wood and bushes, I 

 have seen capital bags made by a couple of guns, three or four beaters, and a few 

 bustling spaniels. The plan is this : to beat out strips and patches separately, and make 

 a corner here and there, placing the guns in the first instance between the patch of 

 standing crop about to be beaten and the forest towards which the Junglefowl when 

 flushed are certain to make. The birds, finding their retreat cut ofl", and pushed hard 

 by men and dogs, are forced to take flight, and when well on the wing offer as fine a 

 shot as a sportsman could desire." — (Capt. Baldwin). 



''The Red Junglefowl is found in the Garo Hills, and in all the Assam plains 

 districts. I shot the bird beyond Sadiya the other day. It is a permanent resident in 

 Assam ; it is found in bamboo and tree jungle, and is very often numerous near villages. 

 In the low hills near Stisting, in the Mymensing district of Bengal, I have had excellent 

 sport with these birds. I had the hills thoroughly beaten by beaters, the guns being 

 carefully posted across the line of flight of the birds. I have shot ten to twelve couple 

 in an hour's shooting in this way. The best time for this sport is just at the season 

 when the cold weather rice crop is ready for the sickle; say, during the month of 

 December and early in January."— -(Col. Williamson). 



