170 A MONOGRAPH OF THE PHEASANTS 



once. The cry is high and raucous, rather unpleasant to the ear. On the giving of this 

 call by a bird in a flock, the others usually cease their feeding and listen, doubtless 

 merely indicating the beginning of those instincts which later will cause the females to 

 be attracted to the sound, and the unmated males to be aroused to accept the challenge. 

 It is seldom or never heard in the middle of the day, but in spring is given during early 

 morning and at dusk. Sportsmen who know this country at all seasons say they have 

 never heard it in the summer, autumn or winter. 



The content note is much like that of the common fowl, and this rather in- 

 articulate sound when increased to a wakl wakl indicates suspicion or apprehension of 

 danger. Unlike most pheasants, however, when alarmed or terrified to such an extent 

 that the birds take suddenly to wing, I have never heard a note uttered, a most striking 

 contrast to the frenzied squawks and screams to which most of the members of this 

 family involuntarily give utterance at such a moment of extremity. 



I believe without question that, except under the provocation of such an ex- 

 tremity of danger, Eared-pheasants never take to wing, except possibly to reach the 

 branches of their roost. I shall have occasion to describe the flight more in detail when 

 touching upon methods of escape. The usual gait is slow and dignified, and when 

 several birds are slowly making their way through grass or around outjutting boulders, 

 with their long, flowing tail-feathers held high, their movements are exceedingly graceful 

 and pleasing. The curved, drooping tips of the longer feathers do away with all the 

 alertness which characterizes the sharp-pointed tail of the ring-necked pheasant. The 

 Eared-pheasants give the impression of self-confident, gentle creatures, masters of 

 themselves, and with the problems of food and enemies well in hand. It may seem 

 curious to read so much into a bird from the mere fact of its gait and general carriage ; 

 but if one will compare a captive Crossoptilon with a true Pkasianus, the striking 

 difference will at once be apparent. 



In seeking its food, the Brown Eared-pheasant is essentially a digger or grubber, 

 using for this purpose its large, strong, curved upper mandible. Its food, as a rule, con- 

 sists of tubers, fine rootlets and insects. The second item is surprising to be recorded 

 as a regular item of diet, but I found that in some of these rocky places the rootlets of 

 the grasses seemed, at least in early spring, much more succulent than usual and 

 certainly more than the old dried stems and leaves themselves. Whenever the birds are 

 found in the vicinity of native hamlets or villages, they enjoy feeding on stray millet, 

 barley and other grains. This is unusual, however, as the Eared-pheasants, with all their 

 gentleness and unwary nature, are intolerant of the presence of mankind and leave such 

 places almost universally to the ring-necked birds, which can live their lives within a 

 short distance of a village, feed to repletion month after month on the sprouts or grain 

 of man's culture and yet remain as wild and wary as the proverbial hawk. The Eared- 

 pheasants are exceedingly omnivorous, and few succulent leaves, sprouts, buds, seeds or 

 grains come amiss. I have found the crop of a bird crammed with acorns, many of which 

 were still in their woody cups, while in the stomach proper, the tremendous muscular 

 constrictions, aided by the small round pebbles and sharp sand, had comminuted earlier 

 swallowed acorns to a mealy pulp. The Eared-pheasants, like the impeyans, probably 

 never use the feet for scratching, the heavy body and short legs doubtless making the 

 quick shifting of the centre of gravity not an easy matter. David records that " Three 



