414 THE FEATHERED TRIBES. 



BEE'srEs' PHEASANT.* 



This elegant species closely resembles, in its manner, the common pheasant. It is 

 described by Temminck imder the name of Phasianus Veneratuts. The upper surface 

 generally is of a golden yellow, each feather having a distinct margin of black ; the head 

 white, the naked space around the eye scarlet ; a black streak passes over the ear-coverts 

 to the back of the head ; the throat is white, bounded by a gorget of black ; the feathers 

 of the sides are white in the centre, with barb-shaped marks of black, and a deep red- 

 brown border ; the middle, \mder surface, and the thighs are black ; the tail-feathers are 

 silvery, gray down the middle, merging into yellowish brown at the sides, and barred 

 with broad bands of black tinged at their edges with brown. 



When Dr. Latham wrote his " History of Birds," he alludes to an account, in Marco 

 Polo's travels, of a pheasant from the " kingdom of Arguill, on the west side of 

 Tartary," with " tayles of eygth, nine, and tenne spannes long." But that eminent 

 naturalist had, at the time, only seen drawings of this species, and specimens of the tail- 

 feathers which he suspected to belong to it. Nor had any living example of this 

 magnificent bird reached Europe, till one was brought over from Canton, by J. Reeves, 

 Esq. The bird is somewhat larger than the common pheasant. The two middle tail- 

 feathers, when fully grown, are from five to seven feet in length. 



THE IMl'EYAN PHEA.SAN I'.f 



Extreme brilliancy of plumage is generally the characteristic of birds dwelling in torrid 

 regions beneath a glowing sky ; but such is not. the case as regards the most gorgeous 

 and beautiful of the pheasant tribe. The high mountains of the liimalaya, bordering on 

 the limits of perpetual snow, are tenanted by the most splendid birds of this family. 



The Tmpeyan Pheasant is an example in point. Adapted to regions where the tempe- 

 rature at the most is only moderate, and often at a low degree, this noble bird soon 

 dies when taken from its Alpine home into the burning lowlands of India. Hence the 

 attempts that have been made to bring it ali^'e into England have hitherto failed. 



THE HORNED PHEASANTS. J 



In addition to the Impeyan pheasant, the Himalaj'a cliain of mountains has a grou]i or 

 genus of the J'/utfianic/ii', containing a very limited number of species, remarkable not only 

 for their great beauty, but their peculiar character. This indicates an afiiiiity to the 

 turkeys, between which group and I hat of the genuine pheasants these birds constitute 

 an intermediate link. 



The male birds of this genus are easily distinguishable from the rest by their large 

 throat-wattles, which extend from the naked cheeks, spread over the throat, and proceed 

 down each side of t.he neck ; while from behind each eye there is a soft fieshy liorn. 

 These appendages are capable of contraction and dilation, under the emotions of fear or 

 anger. The tints of the liorns and wattles are rich purple, mingled with scarlet, and are 

 most probably changeable from one hue to another. The (ail is broad and rounded, and 

 the plumage is dotted with round spots of wliite on a l)rown or red ground, wliich gives 

 a very pleasing effect. 



* P. lU'cvcsii. t Lophoijliiinis Imiu'viuuis. 



I Tragopaii, 



