334 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXV. 



central rectrices are somewhat paler and more of a rufous bulF 

 than the others, but not sufficiently so to cause them to contrast 

 with the other as they do in liorsfieldi in similai" cases. The type 

 female has no pale markings on the back, but is redder than are 

 most female horsjieldi, the two others are both marked \\ith these 

 central pale striae, though to a less degree than in lineatus. All 

 have pale buff striae on the breast and flanks instead of Avhite striae 

 as in lineatus. 



Colours of Soft Parts. — Not recorded, but probably similar to 

 those of lineatus. 



Measurements.— \Ying 8-1" (205-7 mm.); tail 8-3" (210-8 mm.); 

 tarsus 2-9" (73-6 mm.); bill at front 1-2" (30-5 mm.) and from 

 gape 1-4" (36-0 mm.); crest 2-15" (54-6 mm.). 



Distribution. — -The Arrakan Yomas from about 20-5*^ lat. in the 

 North to the extreme South of Arrakan. To the East its boundary 

 is the Irrawaddy River, which divides it from the area inhabited by 

 the true lineatus. 



The dividing line between Oates' Silver Pheasant and the Black- 

 Backed Kalij is not easy to deflne, for wherever there are dense 

 evergreen forests with low-lying well-watered vallejs the latter bird 

 is found encroaching South into the Arrakan Yomas ; next these 

 haunts of liorsfieldi, we find a number of birds with an extraordi- 

 narily varying plumage, scattered here and there over a very narrow 

 and broken area. These birds I previously accepted as a subspecies 

 under the name of cuvieri. Now, however, I find that it is impossi- 

 ble to allocate to this supposed subspecies any definite range in 

 which there is a consistent type of plumage obtainable, it is also 

 impossible therefore to permit it to rank as a geographical race or 

 subspecies and it must be suppressed. 



The reason is merely that in the North-West the transition be- 

 tween oatesi and horsfieldA is abrupt because the climate and geogra- 

 phical factors also vary abruptl)', and in consequence it has been 

 impossible for a staple or permanent form to establish itself over any 

 definite area intermediate between the two. 



In the North-East of its range the change between oaten and 

 ivilliamsi is very gradual, as are the geographical changes, but in the 

 centre between the two there is some very dry coimtry, too dry even 

 for the grey forms of Silver Pheasant, so that we have a well-defined 

 area into which no pheasant penetrates, except as a straggler, and 

 on the outskirts of this dry area we have the two good subspecies 

 tvilliamsi North and oatesi South. 



Nidijication. — There is at pi-esent nothing on record concerning 

 the breeding habits of Gates' Silver Pheasant beyond the fact that 

 Capt. Fielden obtained young birds in August near Thayetmyo in 

 Central East Arrakan. 



The bii'ds appear to breed principally in March. April and May. 



