The Lineated Pheasant of Burmdh. 173 



then administered to the call-bird, and his ire being aroused by 

 shaking the hand near hiin, when the bird-catchers retire 

 behind some bushes within thirty or forty yards, and there 

 await the result. If a wild bird is within hearing of the tame 

 bird, the latter will make a peculiar drumming sound with its 

 wings. Jerdon mentions this noise as being also made by the 

 male of the Simla kallege, Gallophasis albocristatus, Vigors, 

 but was not aware of the cause which led to its production. 

 " The male often makes a singular drumming noise with its 

 wings, not unlike the sound produced by shaking in the air a 

 stiff piece of cloth. It is heard only in the pairing season, but 

 whether to attract the attention of the females, or in defiance 

 of its fellows, I cannot say, as I have never seen the bird in 

 the act, though often led to the spot where they were by the 

 sound.-"* 



Each wild male is apparently " cock of the walk " of a par- 

 ticular portion of jungle, and on hearing this insult offered to 

 him in his own domain, quickly pushes for the spot, in order to 

 inflict speedy punishment on the daring intruder. By follow- 

 ing the direction of the looks of the tame bird, who gets much 

 excited, the wild one is seen to approach quickly until within 

 a short distance of his adversary, whose looks he measures 

 with no friendly eye, as he marches round and round, with 

 feathers puffed out, until he looks twice his usual size, and 

 gives utterance at intervals to angry notes of defiance. Nearer 

 and nearer he comes, and if he does not, in his eager haste, get 

 noosed whilst approaching, terrific is the battle that ensues, 

 and feathers fly in all directions. The wild bird gets so excited 

 that he speedily becomes absorbed, so intent is he on killing 

 his adversary, in which he would doubtless succeed, did not 

 the hidden Burman, anxious for the safety of his pet, throw a 

 stone, which, dropping into a bush, scares the wild bird, who 

 runs off in a hurry through the nearest opening, and gets 

 caught in a noose. 



In case the decoy does not begin to drum of his own accord, 

 the birdcatcher imitates the sound with some feathers tied on 

 a stick, which he rapidly twirls between the palms of his 

 hands, so as to cause a humming sound. The effect of this is 

 increased by the voice, and the result is an exact resemblance 

 to the humming sound produced by the quick vibration of the 

 wings of the bird. The sound immediately sets off the decoy, 

 or brings the wild bird to the spot. 



The sport is carried on by two men — one carries the decoy 



about, carefully muffled up in a cloth until wanted ; and the 



other takes charge of the bundle of nooses, and a dhar, or heavy 



Burmese knife, with which to clear away the brushwood. If 



* Birds of India, vol. ii. part 2, p. 533. 



