TO1 kMUSfc 



Pucrasia maerolopha, Lesson. 



V6£H&CUl&r ITaiJlQS-— [Phoktass, Bhote Parganas of Kuniann and Garhwdl ; 

 Koklass, Kokla, Almora to Simla ; Koak, (Pahari Hindi,) Kullu, Mandi ; Plas, 

 Kashmir.] 





,OKLASS, which it is now usual to treat as belonging 

 to three distinct species, extend in the Himalayas 

 from the central northern, and north-western por- 

 tions of Nepal to Kafiristan. 



Of these three supposed species I shall say more 

 when dealing with P. nipalensis. At present we are 

 only concerned with typical Pucrasia macrolopha, 

 which may be said to extend from the centre of Kumaun, or at 

 any rate the eastern portions of British Garhwal, as far as 

 the westernmost portions of Kashmir, though westwards of 

 Simla it is comparatively scarce. 



Of ALL OUR Hill Pheasants, the Koklass is the best eating, and 

 affords the best sport. Other people's experience appears to be 

 different, as will be seen from passages that I shall quote further 

 on, but I have always found them in the latter part of the 

 autumn in large coveys, and not unfrequently several coveys 

 on one hill side. I have found them lay well, and rise and go 

 off superbly, and I would rather have a good day after Koklass 

 in the middle of November, in some little-wooded saucer- 

 like valley or depression at 7,000 or 8,000 feet in the Himalayas, 

 where too or three coveys have been marked by one's shikaris, 

 than after any other bird in any other place. 



The spot for Koklass is either some depression, such as I have 

 mentioned, or some place in a gorge where a horizontal plateau 

 is thrown out inside the gorge. 



There is an oval cup-shaped valley near the top of Nagtiber 

 behind Mussooree, which used, in old days, to be a sure find for 

 Koklass in October and November. In and about this, I, one 

 November morning, put up no less than three coveys, aggre- 

 gating, I suppose, over twenty birds ; the young ones looking 

 quite as large, though not weighing quite so much as the old 

 ones. I killed five within a circle of a hundred yards, and I 

 then, during the rest of the day, got seven more about the slopes 

 of that hill, besides two Moonal, a Cheer, a Woodcock, several 



