CEYLON JUNGLEFOWL 219 



settled down the birds go to roost. They seem to choose a perch as high as possible, 

 but always within the foliage itself, never upon an exposed limb at the top of the tree, 

 and never close to the main trunk. The first precaution may be to guard against owls 

 or the buffeting of the elements, the second, which is common to many birds, is 

 undoubtedly for the purpose of being warned of the approach of any arboreal carnivore 

 by the vibrating of the branch along which this approach must be made. In the dry 

 coastal zone, where there are few high trees, the birds may be found only eight or 

 ten feet above the ground in some acacia. But such a tree is always well isolated, in 

 two instances to my knowledge standing alone in a glade, and thus fairly well protected 

 against chance ascent by small carnivores. 



In very wet weather the birds retire to trees, usually perching on the lower branches, 

 waiting for the downpour to be over, but this is only a temporary return to roost, and any 

 tree convenient to the feeding-ground is acceptable. The birds are extremely attached 

 to the chosen roosting-place, and the regular roost is resorted to night after night, as is 

 proved both by the abundance of sign and by the similarity of location as indicated by 

 the early morning challenge. I found where one Junglefowl— a cock— spent night after 

 night, and one mid-day I went to the tree and with as little noise and disturbance as 

 possible sawed off and carried away the limb on which the bird was accustomed to roost, 

 the sign locating this beyond doubt. The bird spent at least the following two nights 

 on the nearest adjoining branch, after which I did not visit the place. 



These wild fowl are usually found roosting singly, and when a pair or rarely four 

 birds are associated, they perch on different branches or even adjoining trees. Once I 

 found where such a quartette, probably two birds of the year with their parents, roosted 

 on three trees growing close together. Fresh sign each morning showed that all four 

 perches were occupied. 



I have never observed any close association between the Ceylon Junglefowl and such 

 birds as babblers, as is so common with other related species. All that I have seen have 

 been alone, feeding or dusting themselves or on the lookout for danger, without any 

 commensal or other relations with creatures of their environment. Exception may be 

 made as regards domestic cattle, as the birds are sometimes seen feeding among a herd 

 of these animals, doubtless benefiting by the insects which are disturbed as the big 

 herbivores walk slowly along. They come out occasionally and feed with domestic 

 fowls, although there is no such widespread intimacy as exists between the Red 

 Junglefowl and the native poultry. 



During the nilloo harvest, doves in large numbers are found feeding in close company 

 with the Junglefowl, coming up-country until the whole jungle resounds with their 

 cooing, but there is no actual competition in this case, as there is always a great surplus 

 of food, and the association is in no way of mutual benefit (unlike the company of the 

 babblers in other species) and results only from the unusual abundance and localization 

 of food. 



A captive cock Junglefowl made great friends with a Ceylon green parrot which 

 was kept in the same run, and for months the two birds were inseparable. They fed 

 together from the same dish, and much of the time the parrot sat contentedly upon the 

 back of the cock, while at night they roosted side by side. 



Enemies they have in plenty : large hawks and snakes, civet cats, all the small 



