THE RUFOUS-THROATED HILL PARTRIDGE. 77 



When flushed by a dog or otherwise, they almost ahvays fly up 

 and perch on the surrounding trees, where they squat and 

 commence calling softly to each other. I have shot three or 

 four when thus perched before the others have attempted to 

 move, and I have had them perch within a few feet of me, and 

 keep staring at me, whistling softly all the time. Their ordi- 

 nary call is a series of double whistles, commencing very soft 

 and slow, but gradually becoming more^ and more rapid, and 

 rising higher and higher, till, at last, the bird has to stop. As 

 soon as one stops, another immediately takes up the call. The 

 call is very easily imitated, and, after a covey has been dispers- 

 ed, it is not difficult to attract them by imitating the call. I 

 have done so more than once with complete success. The birds 

 chiefly call in the early morning and evening, remaining quiet, 

 as a rule, during the day. 



"They feed on insects, small land shells, fallen berries, and 

 various seeds, and are very fond of scratching about among 

 the dead leaves." 



Blyth, speaking apparently of this species, seems to doubt 

 their habitually keeping in coveys ; and though all our experience 

 in the Himalayas, and Davison's in Tenasserim, is opposed to 

 his views, I think it right to reproduce his remarks : — 



" Captain Beavan does not mention the season at which he 

 saw Arboricola in coveys. I saw them rise solitarily in the 

 Tenasserim Provinces during the height of the cold season, but 

 in places where it was hopeless to think of knocking one over, 

 or of picking it up if brought down, on steep bamboo-clad hill- 

 sides, with a few exogenous trees sprinkled everywhere — localities 

 where Pitta cyanea showed occasionally, easily recognizable by 

 its colouring, even at a sudden momentary glance." 



LITTLE IS known about the nidification of this species. To 

 Mr. Mandelli I am indebted, however, for one of its eggs. He 

 found a nest on the 4th July, at Pattabong, below Darjeeling, at 

 an elevation of about 4,000 feet, containing four fresh eggs. The 

 nest is described as having been a heap of dry leaves placed on 

 the ground. The eggs closely resembles those of Arboticola 

 atrogularis. It is a broad oval in shape, pointed towards the 

 small end ; in colour a sullied white, with a few very minute grey 

 specks dotted about on it ; the shell rather fine and smooth, but 

 with very little perceptible gloss. It measures 1*5 inches in 

 length by 1*2 inches in width. 



The Tenasserim race is distinctly and constantly larger 

 than the Himalayan one ; the legs and feet appear to be always 

 much paler, a pinky and not a bright red ; and, lastly, they almost 



