THE HIMALAYAN SNOW-COCK. 2/1 



a hundred yards, they move slowly up hill or slanting across, 

 often turning to look back, and do not go very far unless 

 followed. If approached from above, they fly off at once, 

 without walking many yards from the spot. They seldom 

 in any situation walk far down hill, and never run except for 

 a few yards when about to take wing. The whole flock 

 get up together ; the flight is rapid, downwards at first, and 

 then curving, so as to alight nearly on the same level. Where 

 the hill is open and of great extent, it is often for upwards 

 of a mile, at a considerable height in the air ; when more 

 circumscribed, as is often the case on the hills they frequent 

 in winter, it is of shorter duration, perhaps merely across or 

 into the next ridge. 



" They feed on the leaves of plants and grass, and occa- 

 sionally on moss, roots, and flowers ; grass forms by far the 

 greater portion of their food. They are very partial to the young 

 blade of wheat and barley when it is first springing up, and while 

 it remains short ; and, should there be an isolated patch on 

 the hill where they are, visit it regularly night and morning. 

 They never, however, come into what may be called the 

 regular cultivation. 



" They are generally extremely fat, hut the flesh is not 

 particularly good, and it has often an unpleasant flavour when 

 the bird is killed at an high elevation, probably owing to some 

 of the plants it there feeds upon. They are hardy birds and 

 easily kept in confinement, but though they will eat grain, I 

 doubt if they would live long without an occasional supply 

 of their natural green food of grass and plants. 



" They may be kept with the least trouble in large cages, 

 the bottoms of which, instead of being solid, are made of bars 

 of wood or iron wire, so that the cages being put out on the 

 grass, the birds may feed through the interstices." 



I KNOW BUT little of the nidification of the Himalayan Snow- 

 Cock. 



In the Upper Sutlej Valley, Lahul, and Spiti this species 

 lays in June, at elevations of from 12,000 to 17,000 feet. The 

 eggs, according to native collectors, are normally five in 

 number. 



Wilson long ago told us that " the eggs, which have been 

 found by travellers are about the size of those of the Turkey ; 

 but, like those of the Grouse, are of a more lengthened form ; 

 their ground colour, clear light olive, sparingly dotted over with 

 small light chestnut spots." 



Later he wrote to me : " The Snow-Pheasant or Snow-Cock 

 breeds at elevations from 12,000 to 17,500 feet, but very rarely 

 on the southern side of the snows. The hills near the source 

 of the Ganges, and the Sutlej Valley above the junction of the 



