GAME BIRDS OF INDIA AND ASIA. 65 



crows in the morning and evening, but will also 

 answer a gunshot or a peal of thunder — ^a not un- 

 common habit with pheasants. 



The breeding season is from April to June, and 

 the birds are then found in pairs ; in autumn and 

 winter they collect into coveys. 



The eggs are about nine in number, pale buff, 

 often marked with reddish spots of varying size, 

 and two inches long. No nest of any sort is made, 

 the eggs being deposited in a " scrape ' ' on the 

 ground. 



The Chestnut Koklass. 



Pucrasia castanea, Blandford, Faun. Brit. 

 Ind., Vol. IV, p. 86. 



I mention this species because it is believed to 

 occur in our Empire ; but very little is known about 

 it, only two specimens, now in the British Museum, 

 having ever been obtained. These are said to 

 have been obtained from Kafiristan, and the bird 

 is also credited with inhabiting Yassin, Chitral, 

 and Swat. 



It differs from the common Koklass in the much 

 greater extension of the chestnut colour, which 

 runs all round the neck, extends some way down 

 the back and covers the flanks as well as the breast '• 

 the middle of the belly being black. 



The hen appears to be still unknown, so that 

 there is a good deal to be made out about the spe- 

 cies yet. Of course, there is always the pos- 

 sibility of its turning out to be a mere rufous variety 

 of the common Koklass, just as the Nepal bird is 



