rilK (tAME birds of INDIA. 347 



(3! envLS—rilA SIANU8. 



True Pheasants . 



The True Pheasants form a genus of which the Common and 

 Ringed Plieasauts are well-known examples. The tail which is of 

 IG or 18 feathers, is longer than the wing in both sexes, and in the 

 male often reaches a very great length ; it is strongly graduated, 

 the outermost pairs being fre(|uently much shorter than the upper 

 tail coverts. There is no crest, but usuall}'' two short thick tufts on 

 either side of the crown behind i he eye, which are, however, very 

 small in some species. I'he males are brilliantly coloured with both 

 ordinary and metallic colours, whilst the females are plain brown 

 birds more or less mottled with varying amounts of bufi', rufous, 

 black and white. 



The wings are rounded with a small Urst primary intermediate in 

 length between the 7th and 10th and the tarsi and feet are strong 

 and well-formed for running, and are furnished with a spur in the 

 male which is rudimentary or absent in the female. 



The space round the eye is bare in the males, and in some species 

 is developed into wattles, in the female the eye area is feathered or 

 bare in a less degree than in the male. 



There are two species of true Pheasants found within our limits, 

 Vhasianus huinice hamice and Fhasianus elegans, and a second sub- 

 species of the former P. h. hurmannicus. These birds have often been 

 referred to the genus Callo]jliasis, a genus created by Elliott for 

 Callophasis eUiotti. — I do not, however, see sufHcient reason for 

 dividing the two genera. 



Elliott gave his reasons for dividing them as follows : — 



(1) In the genus Callophasis as represented by elliMi the bare 

 skin of the face never developes into the heavy wattles found in all 

 males of true Phasianus. 



(2) The feathers of the lower rump 



" are rounded and proceed in regular rotation down the back 

 " and form an abrupt, distinct line ju at above the upper tail 

 " coverts, leaving them entirely exposed "... In all 

 " true pheasants these are long, loose, split and of a hairy-like 

 "texture, very dense and almost, if not entirely, conceal 

 " the upper tail coverts." 



(3) The spur is in shape and character nearer to Gennceus 

 (Euplocomns) than to Phadanus. 



Of the three reasons given (1) is only a matter of degree, (2) is 

 to some extent a matter of degree, and (3) is not correct for the 

 spur is actually much more like that of Phasianus than the Gallme 

 spur of Gennrhus. 



