PHEASANTS. 219 



moderately long, and possesses the unusual number of twenty-eight rectrices. The 

 bare skin of the face is bright blue, with one small wattle at the occiput, and one at 

 the chin. The tarsi bear indications of spurs. 



The golden pheasant, noted for its brilliant colors and magnificent ruff, is the type 

 of the genus Thaumalea. Three species are known, T. picta, T. obscura, and T. 

 amherstia. They are all Asiatic so far as known, being natives of Thibet and China. 

 It is difficult to conceive more gorgeously attired creatures than these birds, and it is 



FIG. 104. Thaumalea amherstia, Lady Amherst pheasant. 



not easy to decide which should bear the palm for beauty, the golden, with its amber- 

 colored crest, green metallic mantle, orange-red ruff tipped with deep blue, scarlet 

 under-parts, golden yellow rump, and lengthened tail, or the Lady Amherst, with its 

 crimson, white-tipped crest, pure white ruff margined with deep green, golden yellow 

 rump margined with dark green, metallic green breast, and pure Avhite under-parts, 

 and the greatly lengthened tail with the median feathers light gray with bars of green 

 and black mottlings. Not much has been recorded of the habits of these pheasants, 



