THE MOONAL. 1 29 



or towards evening, these may often be seen dotted over with 

 Moonals, all busily engaged at their favourite occupation. 



" The Moonal roosts in the larger forest trees, but in summer, 

 when near or above their limits, will often roost on the ground 

 in some steep rocky spot The flesh is considered by some 

 nearly equal to Turkey, and by others as scarcely eatable. In 

 autumn and winter, many, particularly females and young 

 birds, are excellent, and scarcely to be surpassed in flavour or 

 delicacy by any of the tribe, while from the end of winter most 

 are found to be the reverse. They are easily kept in confine- 

 ment, and one would imagine might, without much difficulty, 

 be naturalized in Europe. 



" The young males for the first year nearly resemble the 

 females, but may easily be distinguished by the white feathers 

 on the chin and throat being spotted with black. The vent 

 feathers are also marked with the same, and the whole plumage 

 has a darker and rather glossy appearance. When changing 

 their plumage, they appear spotted all over with the brilliant 

 metallic hues of the adult, and often present a very singular 

 appearance. The second year they receive the whole of their 

 splendid colours, with the exception of the seventh long 

 feather of the wing which keeps the brown colour for another 

 year. 



" The most indifferent sportsman will find little difficulty in 

 getting the Moonal. After the rains, till the end of October, 

 the forests are scarcely fit to shoot in, except occasional spots in 

 the higher parts ; and, though a few may be picked up, good 

 sport cannot be expected till later in the season. In the 

 spring, about the borders of the forests on the high ridges 

 between one large valley and another, and about the large open 

 grassy plots which abound in those regions, they will be found 

 in great numbers ; and, though rather wild, to one partial to bird- 

 shooting, afford very fair sport. Always walk below the place 

 you expect to find them, as, with all the rest of the Himalayan 

 Pheasants, they invariably fly downwards. If a shot cannot be 

 had as the bird rises, and it alights on a tree, it is generally 

 easy to approach it by getting the trunk of an intervening 

 one betwixt the bird and yourself, keeping the body of the 

 bird covered with the trunk till near enough. The most agree- 

 able way of shooting Moonals is to change the smooth bore 

 for a small rifle, as most of the shots will be while the birds 

 are in trees, and many which offer a fair shot for a rifle at eighty 

 or hundred yards fly off before one can get near enough for shot ; 

 besides, it is excellent practice. From sportsmen only visiting the 

 interior in spring, or immediately after the rains, few can have 

 any idea what magnificent sport these birds afford in winter, 

 when collected together in a small extent of forest. One has 

 only then to encamp near some elevated village, in a well-wooded 

 neighbourhood, and in the morning or evening ten or a dozen 



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