THE WHITE-CRESTED KALIJ. 183 



The female sits for rather over three weeks, and during this 

 period may often be captured by hand or seized by a dog on 

 her nest. The male is always close at hand, and if the hen be 

 disturbed by a dog, will fly into a tree above him and commence 

 a threatening cackle — both parents continue with the young ones 

 till these are nearly full grown. Such at least is my experience. 



From Native Garhwal Mr. Wilson writes to me : — " The Kalij 

 is found from the foot of the hills, or rather from the Siwalik 

 Range to the Snows, and consequently breeds at all elevations 

 up to 9,000 feet ; in a few localities still higher. I lately found 

 a nest above the village of Sukhi in the Bhagirathi Valley, 

 which must have been at 9,500 feet. In the Dhun, at the foot 

 of the hills and in the lower valleys, the Kalij begins to lay in 

 April. In the higher ranges it lays in May, and some birds not 

 till the beginning or middle of June. The nest, if it can be 

 called such, is generally in a coppice where there is plenty of 

 underwood, and under an overhanging stone, or thick low bush 

 or tuft of grass. It is merely a hole scraped in the ground. 

 The eggs are nine to fourteen in number, very like those of some 

 domestic fowls, a yellowish or buffy white. One I have before 

 me is 2 inches long and 1*5 wide ; some are rounder ; one from 

 another nest is 2 - o long and 1*62 wide. Both parent birds are 

 generally found with the young brood. Occasionally very late 

 broods would lead one to infer, either that the Kalij sometimes 

 has two broods in the year, or that, when a nest is destroyed, 

 they recommence the business of incubation." 



Captain Hutton remarks : " This species, the Kalij of the hill- 

 men, is found in the hills at all seasons, and is common at every 

 elevation up to the snows. It breeds in May and June. In 

 the latter month I found a nest by the side of a small water- 

 course composed merely of a few dead leaves and some dry 

 grasses, which had probably been accumulated by the wind and 

 tempted the bird to deposit her eggs upon them. The spot was 

 concealed by large overhanging ferns, and contained the shells 

 of eight eggs of a sullied or faint brownish-white, like some 

 hen's eggs ; the tops of all were neatly cut off as if by a knife, 

 showing that the young ones had escaped, and, singular enough, 

 I had the day before captured the whole brood." 



Captain Cock, writing from Dharmsala, says : " The Com- 

 mon Kalij breeds in May and June, and lays its eggs, as a 

 rule, on the ground under a rock or bush ; but I have taken a 

 nest on a large low bough of a tree, in a hollow on the upper 

 side of which the eggs were placed. The hen will allow herself 

 to be caught on her nest at times. Lays eight eggs of a buff 

 colour." 



The eggs are oval, moderately elongated, a good deal pointed 

 towards one end, perhaps typically less so than those of the 

 Grey Partridge, more so than those of the Peahen, but belong- 

 ing to that type, and not to that of the Francolin's or English 



