SIMLA IIOUNED PHEASANT. 33 



repeatedly disturbed, it is not particularly shy, and seldom takes 

 alarm till a person is in its immediate vicinity, when it creeps 

 slowly through the underwood, or flies up into a tree ; in the 

 former case continuing its call till again stationary, and in the 

 latter, till it has concealed itself in the branches. If several are 

 together, all begin to call at once, and run off in different direc- 

 tions, some mounting into the trees, others running along the 

 ground. When first put up, they often alight in one of the nearest 

 trees, but if again flushed, the second flight is generally to some 

 distance, and almost always down hill. Their flight is rapid, the 

 whir peculiar, and even when the bird is not seen, may be dis- 

 tinguished by the sound from that of any other. Where their 

 haunts are often visited either by the sportsmen or the villagers, 

 they are more wary, and if such visits are of regular occurrence 

 and continued for any length of time, they become so in a very 

 high degree — so much so, that it is impossible to conceive a forest 

 bird more shy or cunning. They then as soon as aware of the 

 presence of any one in the forest, after calling once or twice, or 

 without doing so at all, fly up into the trees, which near their 

 haunts are almost all evergreens of the densest foliage, and conceal 

 themselves so artfully in the tangled leaves and branches that 

 unless one has been seen to fly into a particular tree, and it has 

 been well marked down, it is almost impossible to find them. 



" In spring, as the. snow begins to melt on the higher parts of the 

 hill, they leave entirely their winter resorts, and gradually separate, 

 and spread themselves through the more remote and distant woods 

 up to the region of birch and white rhododendron, and almost 

 to the extreme limits of forest. Early in April, they begin to 

 pair, and the males are then more generally met with than at any 

 other period ; they seem to wander about a great deal, are almost 

 always found alone, and often call at intervals all day long. 

 When thus calling, the bird is generally perched on the thick 

 branch of a tree, or the trunk of one which has fallen to the 

 ground, or on a large stone. The call is similar to the one they 

 utter when disturbed, but is much louder, and only one single note 

 at a time, a loud energetic " waa" not unlike the bleating of a 

 lost goat, and can be heard for upwards of a mile. It is uttered at 



e 



