File:Indian sporting birds (1915) (14563939030).jpg

Identifier: indiansportingbi00finn (find matches)
Title: Indian sporting birds
Year: 1915 (1910s)
Authors: Finn, Frank, 1868-1932 Hume, Allan Octavian, 1829-1912 Marshall, Charles Henry Tilson, 1841-
Subjects: Birds -- India Game and game-birds -- India
Publisher: London : Francis Edwards
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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ven the habit of erecting and spreading outthe crest, is the most westerly of the group of black-breasted,pencilled-backed pheasants which culminate in the well-knownsilver pheasant of our aviaries, which is a South Chinese bird.It is generally distributed over hilly country in Burma, and issometimes called the Burmese silver pheasant, or even, as byHume, by the very awkward name of vermicellated pheasant. Grey-backed kalij would really be the best name for it, as it isa typical kalij in size and shape, hen-tailed and narrow-crested,while the most striking point about it is the contrast between itsdelicate grey upper surface and black crest and under-parts. Thepure white along the upper half of the centre tail-feathers is alsoa striking colour-point, and with the scarlet face, goes to makeup a singularly handsome, if quiet-looking bird. For comparison with other races it should be noted that thegrey of the back is not a solid colour, but made up of very fine * Euplocamns on plate. ^ J
Text Appearing After Image:
LINEATED KALIJ 191 pencilling of black and white lines, such as is seen on the backsof many of the males of the duck tribe, but very rarely elsewhere ;it is irregular and does not follow the edges of the feathers. The hen bird is quite like the hens of the white-breasted andpurple kalijes in form, and is also brown above, but her underplumage and neck are different, as are also the outer tail-feathers,being variegated, the former with well-marked white streaks, thelatter with tranverse pencillings of white on the black ground. The lineated kalij, like the purple, does not range high up,even 4,000 feet being generally higher than it cares to go,while it has no objection to sea-level if it can get suitablejungly cover and ravines or similar declivities. What it especiallylikes is long grass, bamboos, small trees, and brushwood, on hill-sides ; and it prefers deciduous-leaved trees to evergreen forest.On account of the steepness and treacherous character of muchof the ground it frequents

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