BLACK-BREASTED KALEEGE 45 
like that of most of its genus, is restricted, the individuals having regular habits, and 
following much the same route to water and feeding-grounds every day. 
During my brief stay I could detect no signs of seasonal migration, and many 
observers reported to me that there is none. The birds are so omnivorous that they 
are not affected by the local ripening of any certain fruit or berry, and seem to pursue 
the even tenor of their life from season to season, merely retiring at the breeding season, 
for the purpose of nesting, to deeper, more isolated portions of the jungle. 
In Upper Burma I found the Black-breasted Kaleege in bamboo jungle, near the 
bottoms of rather steep valleys, and along the trails which wound about the slopes, 
never over a thousand feet elevation. In Cachar this species is said to favour low 
forests near rivers, while occasionally they venture into rice clearings. In Sylhet they 
live on hillocks, overgrown with cane, bamboo and tree jungle, isolated by small 
streams, and here in the thick underbrush the birds spend the day. Wherever reported 
they seem to delight in coming into roads and trails morning and afternoon to scratch 
and feed, keeping keenly on the lookout for danger. 
Finding that the Black-backed Kaleege were abundant near Wau-hsaung I 
remained there some time studying them, and found their habits to differ in no way 
from those more in the centre of distribution, to the westward, in Assam. This region 
was only a day’s march east of the Irrawaddy, across from Myitkyina, the terminal 
of the railroad in Upper Burma, and about seven hundred and fifty miles north of 
Rangoon. 
I have already recounted meeting the trio of kaleege, one of which I shot. I had 
had abundant opportunity to observe the two remaining kaleege pheasants, and noted 
that one was dark, and, like the one I secured, typical Aorsfeldi. The third was 
decidedly light, showing distinct white vermiculations on the upper parts and along 
the central tail feathers. When at last I secured it, I found that it corresponded most 
closely to what has been called odscurus. All were young males, just completing their 
moult into fully adult plumage. 
These birds proved to be fairly numerous and not difficult to observe. But one 
factor made the work exciting—the buffaloes. A half-dozen gigantic, black mothers 
roamed about the woods, each having in tow a callow, whitish calf. Huge as they were, 
these creatures made but little noise when walking slowly over the mud, and more than 
once I had hastily to take to trees. Later in the same day, when I shot my first 
kaleege, I was crouched close to where a bird was scratching loudly. I had signalled 
to my companion to circle around ahead of me to force the pheasant into view. 
Hearing no response I crept back to the lane, and saw him perched some ten feet from 
the ground, while an irate water buffalo parent tore up sod and snorted angrily below. 
On the other hand, the presence of so many of these creatures made it an easier matter 
stalking the pheasants, the birds being accustomed to their movement through the 
underbrush. : 
Several tall trees, covered with ripened fruit, stood near the river-bank, and all day 
were filled with birds, a constant rain of berries and pits falling through the leaves. 
In. a few days I counted forty species of birds feeding on this fruit, and early one 
morning, when the fog from the mountains was too thick to see through, I heard, as 
I walked beneath, the unmistakable note of kaleege. Two birds—male and female— 
