﻿PLATE 
  XLIX 
  

  

  CHEER 
  PHEASANT 
  

  

  Catreus 
  wallichii 
  (Hardwicke) 
  

  

  Leaving 
  my 
  camp 
  in 
  a 
  deep 
  Garhwal 
  valley, 
  and 
  working 
  up 
  through 
  the 
  soft-needled 
  forest 
  of 
  

   deodars 
  and 
  spruces, 
  I 
  come 
  suddenly, 
  without 
  warning, 
  upon 
  bare 
  open 
  ground. 
  I 
  pass 
  over 
  a 
  low 
  

   ridge, 
  and 
  instead 
  of 
  the 
  shaded, 
  densely-wooded 
  slopes, 
  I 
  find 
  rocky, 
  grass-covered 
  ledges 
  dropping 
  

   down 
  in 
  jagged 
  teraces, 
  and, 
  on 
  the 
  other 
  hand, 
  rising 
  steeply 
  to 
  where 
  the 
  stern 
  profile 
  of 
  the 
  summit 
  

   is 
  silhouetted 
  against 
  the 
  fleecy 
  clouds. 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  the 
  home 
  of 
  the 
  Cheer. 
  Although 
  protectively 
  coloured 
  when 
  crouched 
  in 
  the 
  half-dead 
  

   grass, 
  they 
  are 
  conspicuous 
  when 
  in 
  full 
  flight. 
  The 
  golden 
  and 
  green 
  sheen 
  of 
  the 
  back 
  and 
  rump 
  at 
  

   the 
  time 
  of 
  their 
  headlong 
  rush 
  sometimes 
  catches 
  the 
  glint 
  of 
  the 
  sun, 
  and 
  in 
  sudden 
  turns 
  the 
  tail 
  

   flares 
  out 
  into 
  a 
  streaming 
  cross-barred 
  train, 
  forming 
  a 
  marvellous 
  spot 
  of 
  pattern 
  and 
  colour. 
  

  

  