92 WANDERINGS OF A 



The female is smaller, and has not the magnificent tail of 

 the male — which he displays to most advantage when walk- 

 ing or on wing. 



The cheer frequents the lower and middle regions, and is 

 seldom found at very high elevations. It delights in grassy 

 situations, among stunted oak, or such-like, and is generally 

 met with in flocks of from six to twenty. The moment they 

 are disturbed they separate and secrete themselves among the 

 grass, or in the foliage of trees, whence I believe they have 

 been knocked down with sticks. 



The female forms her nest of grass in low brushwood, 

 and lays from nine to fourteen eggs of a dull white. 



The young are hatched about the beginning or middle of 

 June. 



The flight of the cheer is heavy, and not strong, and it 

 seldom perches on trees, unless when disturbed. 



Cheer-shooting, like all other sport in the Himalayas, is 

 followed out with most success in autumn. The cheer 

 seems hitherto to have been found only in the north-western 

 Himalayas ; possibly its cunning and stealthy habits may 

 cause it to be overlooked in many situations. 



The kalij {Euplocomus albocristatus) is the most common 

 and widely distributed of the Himalayan pheasants. There 

 is a congener, with white markings on the crest and back, 

 found on the eastern ranges, Sikhim, etc. Mr. Blyth considers 

 it a distinct species, and has named it E. melanotus. I am 

 not prepared to dispute the decision of so good an authority. 

 I must, however, remark that I have seen many old males 

 of the U. albocristatus with very little white on the crown 

 and back. The kaUj pheasant {" Merghee koohera" of the 

 natives) is plentiful along the great valleys, called Dhoons, 

 bordering on the plains of India, up to elevations of from 



