IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. 337 



Diarrhoea is not uncommon among pheasants and other gallina- 

 ceous birds ; too sudden a change in the atmosphere, change of food, bad 

 feeding, exposure and cold may bring it about. If there is much 

 straining, fomentation should be applied to relieve it, otherwise much 

 inflammation of the cloaca and other complications may ensue ; inter- 

 nally a few drops of tincture of opium with the milk and egg-food 

 should be given ; a little rum in drinking water is also beneficial. 



Tuberculosis of the lungs and liver is common, but seldom detected 

 in live birds. 



Leprosy tubercles have been found in the livers of gallinaceous birds. 

 Perfectly healthy birds have been found to drop down dead, especially 

 during the summer; too high a condition and adiposity causing the 

 death. 



With regard to housing, feeding, &c, the pheasants and other 

 gallinaceous birds to be hereafter described should be similarly treated. 



Observations on the habits of Pheasants. 



All pheasants are more or less shy and timid ; some of them, such 

 as the silver, lineated, gold, common, and ring-necked pheasants, 

 become soon and easily reconciled to captivity ; but others continue as 

 shy as they were on their first introduction. These seldom come out 

 during the day, and prefer roosting under the sloping roof of the house, 

 or in some sheltered nook, concealed from visitors and strangers ; they 

 come down to feed and drink, of course, but retire again afterwards. 

 Of those named above, the silver pheasant appears to be the tamest ; on 

 the cage being approached, it comes to the side, its musical but soft 

 cooing and look of expectancy betraying nothing but confidence. The 

 display of feathers by the gold, Amherst, and other gorgeously coloured 

 pheasants during courtship is a singularly brilliant sight. The object 

 is the same as in the common peafowl — to captivate the female. 



(373) THE EED JUNGLE FOWL. 

 (GALLITS FERRUGINEUS— Gmel.) 



Hab. — "Jungly districts of all Northern India, from the valleys 

 of the Sub-Himalayan region southward to the Vindhian range and 

 the North Circars ; Assam, Burmese and Malay countries ; Turkestan ? 

 (Blyth); Terai jungles of Oudh (Irby), Lombock ; Timor (Wall.)— " 

 Elliot. 



This bird is the origin of our domestic fowls. 



(374) LAFAYETTE'S JUNGLE FOWL. 

 (GALLUS LAFAYETTII— Zm.) 



Hab. — Oeylon. 



It differs from the above species in having a yellow oomb. 



Y 



