196 Notes on the Horned Pheasant. 



sides gradually converge until near the apex, where small gaps 

 are constructed, each armed with a small noose. The birds 

 are then gradually driven by men on foot — simply walking in 

 line towards the base of operations I may call it — and the birds 

 running on, instead of attempting to fly, run through the 

 openings, and are caught in the nooses. 



A curious fact with regard to this mode of capture remains 

 to be noticed. The proportion of males to females are gene- 

 rally four or five of the former to one of the latter. 



The birds are then brought into Darjeeling for sale, and 

 fetch about 4s. each if it happens to be a dry season, but gene- 

 rally more. I have seen them sold at 2s. each. Early morning 

 or in the evening are the times to go after them, the former 

 preferred by the natives. They are then heard calling on all 

 sides, and by dint of severe crawling and creeping one has the 

 chance of a shot, which as likely as not will be at the bird 

 running. The sportsman must avail himself of the very first 

 glimpse of the bird to fire, or he will not be likely to see it a 

 second time. 



The lowest ranges of these mountains are inhabited from 

 the plains to 3000 feet by the jungle fowl (GaUusfernn/ incus) ; 

 from 2000 to 6000 flourishes the Kallege, or Black Pheasant 

 (Nycthemerus melanotus), and the Tree Partridge (Arboricula 

 ntfogularis), commonly called the Peura, orPura; from 6000 

 to 9000, the Horned Tragopan, which is called " Moonal " by 

 the natives ; and higher still the Three-spurred Pheasant, and a 

 larger species of Pura. Higher still again, in the region of the 

 snows, is found the Himalayan Snow Pheasant. 



Whether the Purple Moonal exists in Sikkim I am not able 

 to say, having never seen one. The natives, however, ou 

 hearing my description of the bird, say it does. 



The above are all the game birds of the pheasant and 

 partridge tribe found, as far us we know yet, in Sikkim ; but no 

 ornithologist having yet followed Dr. Hooker's example, and 

 penetrated into the interior of the country, the fauna of it is 

 only known by the collections made by native collectors em- 

 ployed by l'». II. Hodgson, Esq., and others. 



Th<- <>f In pgame birds I have noticed are a species of solitary 

 Bnipe, and the common woodcock. 



Ducks are found in the valleys on or near the streams, the 

 of which liny follow up from the plains. 



Immense Hocks of duck, geeso, cranes, and other wading 

 birds of nearly allied bribes, are seen at various times of the 

 year passing high overhead mroute from the plains of Bengal 

 to their inaccessible breeding places in Thibet. 



They do not appear to aught in Sikkim, but when onco 

 fairly started from the plains, to ily straight to their destination, 



