GALLIJS LAFATETTII. 739 



I never could ascertain whether any actual combats were the result of their meeting, and I think that generally 

 one or other of the birds retreats when it sees its antagonist. 



Layard, however, writes on this subject : — " The cocks fight most desperately in defence of their seraglios, 

 the combat frequently terminating in the death of one of the engaged parties. As they not unfrequently 

 mingle with the fowls of the lonely villages, they cross with the domestic breed, being more than a match 

 in courage for the plebeian dunghill cocks, and armed with tremendous sharp spurs. 



" Mr. Mitford, of the Ceylon Civil Service," he continues, " showed me, while at Ratnapura, a hybrid 

 hen ; her general appearance and call much resembled that of the wild bird ; her eggs also partook of the 

 spotted character; but Mr. Mitford never succeeded in rearing any chicks from them, as they were always 

 addled. The bird was very tame to those with whom she was acquainted, but fled precipitately at the 

 approach of strangers." 



As a rule, Jungle-fowl do not thrive well in confinement ; but several exceptions to this have come under 

 my notice, the birds in question having been reared from the nest. Captain F. Bayley successfully kept a 

 cock for years in his beautiful grotto-like aviary at Galle; and Mr. Thwaites of Hakgala had some beautiful 

 examples which I saw on the occasion of my last visit to his bungalow, and which, he informed me, he had 

 had for some years in confinement without their having in any way suffered from their captivity. Mr. Holdsworth 

 likewise conveyed some to England which the late Rev. Dr. Boake had reared in an aviary at Colombo. 



The sound of the flapping of the wings, which is of course the invitation to battle, has the effect of always 

 drawing two birds together ; and the knowledge of this fact has given rise to the device of imitating the noise, 

 by doing which the sportsman can bring the cock up to him, and if he be properly concealed can easily shoot 

 him. The natives make this sound by clapping against their thighs with the palm of the hand hollowed; but 

 Europeans can best do it by making a pad with the handkerchief, and beating it against the palm of the other 

 hand. By this means the exact sound can be made ; and I myself once procured a very fine specimen in the 

 Ostenburgh woods by adopting this plan. It is worthy of note that this species (and I believe the same is 

 the case with all the wild Jungle-fowl) does not utter its call before daybreak, like the domesticated varieties ; 

 and this fact renders it difficult to surmise how the habit first arose in the latter. 



The male birds have an alarm-note, sounding like clock, clock, which they make, if they hear any strange 

 noise, when perched on a branch and about to roost. I kept a wild bird in confinement for a short 

 time, and being very timid it invariably made this note when I approached, at the same time running round 

 the aviary and trying to escape. The George-Joyce call is, as Mr. Holdsworth remarks, preceded by a sharp 

 monosyllabic note sounding like tek. This gentleman likewise says that he has seen the cock, when " calling," 

 " strutting up and down a low horizontal branch of a tree, raising and lowering its head " as it gave out its note. 



I have remarked in my note on " distribution " that numbers of Jungle-fowl visit the forests in which 

 the undergrowth of " nilloo," a species of Strobilanthes , is so abundant, for the purpose of feeding on its 

 berries ; and the popular idea obtains that the fruit of this shrub has the effect of stupifying the birds. Certain 

 it is that at this period the Jungle-fowl in the Horton Plains and about Nuwara Elliya do become affected, 

 and are apparently so " intoxicated " that they may be knocked down with a stick. Mr. Holdsworth writing 

 on the subject says that he failed to discover that any thing was known to botanists of the seeds of this plant 

 possessing narcotic qualities ; and he suggests that the birds may perhaps eat some noxious fungus growing in 

 the woods where the "nilloo" thrives. 



Another idea among the Singhalese is that the Jungle-fowl become blind at this season from eating the 

 nilloo-seeds. Mr. Bligh writes me on this subject as follows : — " About that season of the year if village 

 fowls be brought to the hills they rarely escape a serious eye-disease, which rapidly spreads throughout a given 

 district, and in many cases they become totally blind in two or three weeks. This is the disease which the 

 Jungle-fowls evidently catch. A dog of mine caught a jungle-cock with one eye lost, and evidently from this 

 cause." 



The flight of the Jungle-fowl is strong ; but they rarely take wing unless suddenly surprised, their usual 

 mode of escape from danger being by running, which they do with considerable speed. 



Nidification. — In the north of Ceylon the Jungle-fowl breeds in the early part of the year (when I have 

 procured its eggs), and most likely at other seasons as well. In the Hambantota district I have met with 



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