CECOLOGICAL 71 



Moonals or Impeyan-pheasants are confined to the Himalayas 

 and the mountains of Assam and West China. The curious 

 Fire-backed-pheasants of the Genus Aconius and Lophura are 

 inhabitants of the mountains of the Indo-Chinese provinces and 

 Malayan Peninsula and Islands. One of the most remarkable 

 of all the Game-birds — the Lobed -pheasant {Lobiphasis) occurs 

 only on the high mountains of North- West Borneo, the Lawas 

 River, and the region of Mount Dulit. The Eared-pheasants 

 of the Genus Crossoptilum — -the sexes of which are peculiar 

 among other things in being alike in plumage — inhabit the 

 woods clothing the high mountains of Thibet, West China and 

 Manchuria, living in flocks. The Silver and Kalij Pheasants 

 inhabit the Himalayas and the hills of Assam and Burma, 

 ranging from 1,000 to 9,000 feet. Besides these, mention must 

 be made of the curious Koklass Pheasants {Pucrasia) and the 

 Barred-backed-pheasant {Callophasis). The former range along 

 the Himalayan chain from Afghanistan eastwards to Thibet, 

 and the mountain ranges of South China and Fokien and 

 Manchuria. The latter are represented by two species only ; 

 one, C. ellioti, from the mountains of South-East China, and 

 the other, C. huniice, from the Shan States. 



The beautiful Golden-pheasant (^Chrysolophus pictus) and the 

 even more remarkable Amherst-pheasant {C. amherstice) are 

 conspicuous ornaments of this region, the Golden-pheasant 

 inhabiting South and West China and Kokonoor, Lady Am- 

 herst's West China and Thibet. The wonderful Peacock- 

 pheasants belong to the Himalayan system of mountains 

 extending from Sikkim to Tennasserim and Cochin-China, and 

 thence to the Malayan Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo, affect- 

 ing forest country up to 6,000 feet. 



Here is the home of the Pea-fowl which are represented by 

 two species, the Common Peacock of India and Ceylon, and 

 the Javan Peacock {Pavo muticus) of Indo-China and the 

 Malay Peninsula. These are birds of the plains rather than 

 of the mountains, which they ascend, however, occasionally. 

 Plentiful in the plains of North- West India they will not long 

 remain so unless some restriction is placed on their slaughter 

 for decorative purposes. 



Passing now to the Indian region proper, which includes 

 the whole of the Peninsula from the base of the Himalayas to 



