THE CEYLON JUNGLE-FOWL, 243 



Along the south-east coast the vegetation is of this character, 

 and the dense tangled ' bushes' from Tangalla northwards past 

 Tala, and thence on towards Batticaloa, teem with Jungle-Fowl, 



" In the damper jungles of the south-west, and those clothing 

 the interior of the Western Province, it is far less numerous ; 

 and in the Colombo district it is a bird which is not frequently 

 met with. 



" In the Kandyan Province it is a well-known bird, inhabiting 

 the jungles in the coffee districts, and ascending during the 

 dry season into the forests of the main range, in which the 

 nilloo plant is very abundant, the berry of which has for it the 

 most irresistible attractions. 



" The cock birds are, as is the case with other species, most 

 pugnacious, and pass their time in the mornings and evenings 

 in giving out their well-known challenge call, ' Cluk George 

 Joyce" accompanied with the usual galline flap of the wings. 

 By using a pocket-handkerchief doubled up into a ball, placed 

 in the palm of the hand, and struck with the other, this sound 

 can be fairly imitated, and if the sportsman be out of sight, 

 well concealed in a hollow in the ground, or behind a huge 

 log or stump, the cocks can be enticed near enough to be shot ; 

 they are so shy, however, that if the least sound be made other 

 than this flapping, they turn round and disappear at once into 

 the thicket. The natives produce the required sound by 

 striking the thigh with the open hand, slightly curved ; and 

 both Cingalese and Tamils shoot the Jungle-Fowl for the market 

 by thus decoying them. 



" While challenging each other, the males often wander close 

 to paths and tracks through the jungle, and still keep up 

 their call, although people may be passing, and laughing and 

 shouting going on ; but directly you strike off the road to stalk 

 them, the sound of footsteps puts an end to the George 

 Joyce, and the pugnacious bird may be heard rapidly beating 

 a retreat over the fallen leaves. 



" At night they roost on trees, but do not choose very high 

 branches, generally seating themselves across a moderately 

 elevated horizontal limb, and when going to rest they utter a 

 clucking note very different to the ordinary call. 



" The hens are seldom seen near the cocks, and are very shy ; 

 they may be sometimes surprised in the early morning scratch- 

 ing by the sides of roads with their young brood, but on the 

 whole are much more seldom observed than the other sex." 



The Messrs. Hart remark : — 



" This species is very local in its distribution, but it equally 

 inhabits both high and low lands. It is, however, most common 

 and easily procured in dry and sandy places where bamboo 

 jungle and dense prickly thickets abound. 



" It lives chiefly upon various kinds of wild seeds and grain, 

 and more especially on white ants. We have often seen this 



