YDS III KttMKHPHUttnv< 



Polyplectrum thibetanum, Gmelin. 



Vernacular ITaBieS. — [Doungkulla, Arakan and Pegu ; Shuay dong, Tennas- 

 serim ; Munnowur, Deyodahuk, Assam ; Deo-durug, Deo-dirrik, Garo Hills ; 

 Paisa- walla Majur, (Coolee jargon) Tea gardens, Cachar.] 



T is in the dense hill forests of the Indo-Burmese 

 region that the Grey Peacock-Pheasant has its 

 home. 



Its furthest limits northwards and westwards, so 

 far as I yet know, are the Baxa Duars and the 

 outer slopes of the Bhutanese Himalayas. East- 

 wards it is far from rare, in suitable localities in 

 the Eastern Duars, the northern portions of Goalpara, Kamrup, 

 and Darrang, and possibly, but I have no certain information on 

 the subject, further east. South of the Brahmaputra it occurs in 

 the Garo, Khasia, and Naga Hills, in Sylhet, Cachar, Hill Tip- 

 perah, Chittagong, Arakan, Pegu and Tenasserim, as far south 

 as Tavoy, and perhaps some distance further, but not, accord- 

 ing to our present information, so far down as Mergui town. 

 Outside our limits, we know that it occurs in Independent Bur- 

 ma and Western Siam, but its eastern limit, like that of the 

 Burmese Pea- Fowl, has yet to be defined. 



This SPECIES occurs at very varying elevations ; I have received 

 it from places in Cachar and Sylhet, and from the base of Nwa- 

 lebo in Tenasserim, from localities little above sea level, and 

 again Davison obtained it almost at the summit of Mooleyit, at 

 quite 6,000 feet elevation. 



But though it occurs right down on the plains, it is so far a 

 Hill Pheasant, that it chiefly affects hills and their immediate 

 neighbourhood, and is never found in any considerable numbers 

 at any great distance from these. 



In Tenasserim we have usually found it singly or in little par- 

 ties, very shy and keeping to the densest portions of the forest. 

 Without dogs it is almost impossible to flush it, as it much 

 prefers running to flying. It is easy, however, to find if any are 

 in the jungle you are searching, as, on a gun being fired, every 

 male that is within hearing at once begins to call. Their note 

 is along-drawn, harsh, somewhat bark-like, qua-qiia-qiia, often 

 repeated. 



H 



