
them to run uphill and hurtle down. They seldom fly high and are 
adept at bursting through brush and trees, thus offering considerable 
tricky shooting. Like the junglefowl and the ringneck they are often 
inclined to run rather than to flush, unless surprised. Where not 
heavily hunted, they appear to be as wary as the junglefowl but easier 
to kill over a dog, which often distracts their attention from the 
approaching hunter. Most sportsmen in India consider them excellent 
for the table. 
Breeding and Raising 
Most of the kalij breed and can be raised fairly easily 
in captivity. Wild-trapped birds normally breed the second year in 
captivity though often remaining shy. Game-farm-raised birds and 
those caught as young chicks tame readily. Touchard (14) indicates 
that they are less wild in captivity than are ringnecks and less 
pugnacious than are silver pheasants. He obtained twenty-two eggs 
and raised sixteen youngsters from one pair of hand-raised birds the 
year after they were hatched. Older females are said to lay twenty- 
five to thirty eggs a year, most of which should be fertile. The 
period of incubation is reported to be 24 to 25 days and the eggs are 
not difficult to incubate. Fifteen youngsters, hatched from wild eggs 
collected in India in 1961 were reared without loss or difficulty 
under less than modern brooding conditions and on a poultry ration 
which, while the only one available, would not normally be considered 
satisfactory for game birds. 
40 
