THE HIMALAYAN SNOW-COCK. 269 



were it not that just the grey stones that they affect are the 

 haunts also of the Burrel, and more rarely of the Tahr, which 

 to most sportsmen present far greater attractions. In Spiti, 

 however, I went in regularly for it, and my camp followers 

 seemed to relish the birds as food, though to me they seemed, 

 after many trials, almost uneatable. 



My friend Mr. Wilson's account, as it was one of the earliest 

 so it remains to this day incomparably the best and most com- 

 plete account of this species. He says : — 



" It is confined exclusively to the snowy ranges, or the large 

 spurs jutting from them which are elevated above the limits 

 of forest, but is driven by the snows of winter to perform one, 

 and in some places two, annual migrations to the middle 

 regions ; in summer they are only seen near the limits of vege- 

 tation. In Kunawar they are common at all seasons from 

 Cheenee upwards, but on the Gangetic hills, from June till 

 August, however much a person wanders about on the highest 

 accessible places, but few are met with, and I have no doubt 

 whatever but that nearly all which at other seasons frequent 

 this part, retire across the snow into Chinese Thibet to breed. 

 About the beginning of September they are first seen near the 

 tops of the higher grassy ridges, jutting from the snow and the 

 green slopes above, and about the limits of forest. After the 

 first general and severe fall of snow they come down in num- 

 bers on to some of the bare exposed hills in the forest regions, 

 and remain there till the end of March. This partial migra- 

 tion is probably made in the night after the fall of snow, as 

 I have invariably found them in their winter quarters early 

 the next morning. It requires a deep fall to drive them down, 

 and some mild winters, except a few odd birds, they do not 

 come at all. The birds on each respective hill seem to have 

 a particular spot for their winter resort, which they return to 

 every year the migration is made. 



" The Snow Pheasant is gregarious, congregating in packs, 

 sometimes to the number of 20 or 30, but in general not more 

 than from 5 to 10 ; several packs inhabiting the same hill. 

 In summer the few which remain on our side are found in 

 single pairs generally, but across the snow, where the great 

 body migrate, I almost always even then found several to- 

 gether. They seldom leave the hill on which they are located, 

 but fly backwards and forwards when disturbed. 



" The Ring-tailed Eagle* is an inveterate annoyer of these 

 birds ; inhabiting such exposed situations where there is nothing 

 to conceal so large a bird from his sight, as he sails along the 

 hill side above them, they at once arrest his attention and are 

 driven backwards and forwards by this unrelenting tormentor 

 all day long. On the appearance of one of these birds, which 



* The birds here referred to are the non-adults of the Himalayan Golden Eagle. 

 Mr. Wilson has sent me numerous specimens. — A. O. H. 



