Part 187 - Blood pheasant encounter and meeting with Dzongpen's man, 13 June 1936

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SUMMARY:
The diarist encountered blood pheasants with chicks, attempted photographs, and preserved two chicks in spirit, noting their soft-part colors; later it clouded over and rained, and he took colour photos of a new primula and a small blue plant. On return, he met the Dzongpen's man, who arranged coolies and emphasized etiquette on the kingkor.

CONTENT:
Other flowers. On our way back I came across a pair of blood pheasant. The cock bird ran straight at me to within a few yards, so I knew they had young chicks out. We sat down and waited, and found two. All the time we were there the hen kept about 20 yards away, racing round and round and calling the alarm note. The cock bird was bolder though, and came right up to 3 or 4 ft of me often. I had a camera and did my best to get a photo or two, but was very excited and made rather a mess of things I fear. I took the two chicks and have put them in spirit. Colours of soft parts are Bill - dull coral; legs and feet - pale brownish salmon; iris - pale slate; no occipital patch to be seen yet. Both are in methylated spirit, and I wonder if they will keep.

13500'
13.6.36.

Clouded over in the evening and started to rain, with clouds right down, by about 6.0 p.m. A most interesting day. I got four colour photos of the new primula and little blue one 2154. The Dzongpen's man met me on return. He seems helpful and has arranged coolies. He was most emphatic about etiquette on the kingkor. I must not even cook meat