THE RED JUNGLE-FOWL, 221 



shikari and a good pahari bearer I had soon pulled her off 

 and released me, a mass of blood, a good deal cut and bruised, 

 but not really hurt ; my first bullet had gone straight through her 

 from stem to stern (2 oz. hardened bullet and six drams of 

 powder), the other had gone right through the heart and come 

 out behind the ribs on the left side. 



It will be well for griffs (as I then was) to bear in mind 

 that, in the Sub-Himalayan ranges at any rate, where Jungle- 

 Fowl are common, there bears and tigers are not unlikely to 

 be met with, and that they should never beat for Jungle-Fowl 

 in such situations on foot, without a rifle in trustworthy hands 

 behind them, and never allow themselves to be caught in such 

 a trap as that in which I had stupidly placed myself. 



Beavan says : — 



" The best shooting I ever got at this species was at Jalpai- 

 guri, where the nallas, or beds of streams, in the neighbour- 

 hood, which are common in that country, and filled with jungle, 

 gave cover to very many of these birds. When put up by beaters 

 they fly out at a considerable pace, and require a good knock- 

 down blow to bag them. They run, too, a great deal. In the 

 Manbhoom district the native shikaris used to get many of 

 them by placing corn near some water in the half-dried-up beds 

 of streams, and then shooting them when they came there both 

 in the early morning and evening to eat and drink." 



Colonel Tickell remarks : — 



" It is off the alluvion, in the dry, stony jungles between 

 Midnapore and Chota Nagpore, that the Jungle-Fowl are met 

 with in the greatest numbers. In favourable situations, such 

 as narrow strips of cultivation in the woods after the crops have 

 been reaped, I have seen as many as twenty or thirty together 

 gleaning about in the stubble ; and where the country is thinly in- 

 habited they will, in twos and threes, advance pretty boldly into 

 the open. On such occasions they do not appear to plant sentries 

 like the Crane and Wild Goose, but are at all times excessively 

 timid and wary. W T hen approached in open spots, far from 

 covert, they take wing as readily as Partridges, springing with 

 a loud flutter, and flying steadily and strongly to the jungle, 

 with rapid beats and alternate sailings of their wings. They 

 alight generally within the edge of the covert, and then run 

 so long and swiftly as to render it quite hopeless to follow 

 them. There is no bird more difficult to approach, or even to 

 see, when in the jungle. The cocks may be heard of a morn- 

 ing or evening crowing all round, but the utmost precaution will 

 not, in most cases, enable the sportsman to creep within shot or- 

 sight of the bird. The hen, too, announces the important fact 

 of having laid an egg with the same vociferation as in the 

 domestic state, but is silent ere the stealthiest footstep can 

 approach her hiding-place, and, gliding with stealthy feet under 

 the dense foliage, is soon far away in the deep recesses of the 



