32 GAME BIRDS OF INDIA AND ASIA. 



may be distinguished from that of the crimson Tragopan, whiclj 

 she much resembles, by her smaller size. This species is also 

 Chinese. The eggs, buff, thickly speckled, with pale-brown, and 

 four in number, have been taken from an old squirrel's nest 

 30 feet up in a tree, and in captivity this species has also 

 nested in an old nest in a tree. 



The Monauls are very easily recognisable birds, 

 being of large size and stout and heavy make, 

 with comparatively large heads and bills, short 

 shanks — shorter than the middle toe, and tails of 

 only medium length, flat and nearly square like 

 a pigeon's. There is a bare blue space round the 

 eye in both sexes, but in plumage they differ 

 absolutely, and the cocks only possess spurs, which 

 are not very long. Four species are known, of 

 which two are Indian. 



The Common Monaul or Impeyan Pheasant. 



Lophophorus refulgens, Faun. Brit. Ind., 

 Birds, Vol. IV, p. 96. 



Native names :—Lont (male), Hani (female), 

 Nil-mor, yung-limor, Kashmir ; Nilgur, 

 Chamba ; Munal, Nil (male), Karari 

 (female), Kulu ; Mundl, Ghar-Mundl, Ratia 

 Kawan, Rabnal, Ratkap, N.-W. Hima- 

 layas; Datiya, Kumaun and Garhwal ; 

 Dafia, Nepalese ; Fo-dong, Lepcha ; Cham- 

 dong, Bhutias of Sikkim. 



The male Monaul has a fine crest of feathers 

 with shafts bare nearly to the tip, where there is 

 a lance-head-shaped webbed portion ; it is more 

 or less erect. This crest and the head generally 

 and a streak along each side of the breast are of 

 an intensely brilliant burnished-green ; the back 



