724 



5 YS TEMA TIC S Y NOP SIS. — GA LL IN.E — ALEC TOR OP ODES. 



hen of the poultry yard have been developed in all their astonishing variation under artificial 

 conditions. Were these normal, they would constitute several good genera. The teclmical 

 generic characters are the peculiarly folded tail of 14-16 feathers, the hackles of the neck and 

 rump, the spurs, wattles, and comb. The established wild species are 4 : G. gallus, hankiva, 

 or ferrugineus, G. lafai/etiei, G. sonnerati, and G. varius ; they are wide ranging in Asia and 

 many of its islands, and the first named is supposed to be the main origin of 

 our poultry. The Macartneys are several species of the genus Lophura, with 

 the 16-feathered tail compressed as in Gallus, a peculiar crest, and spurs ; 

 the plumage is extremely brilliant, as in the fire-backed Pheasant, L. ignita. 

 This is the genus oftener called Euplocomus ; one of its species, L. diardi, is 

 till- t_\{ic (if Diardigallus. The Painted or Golden and Amherstian Pheas- 

 ants, Chrysolophus pictus and C amherstite, are singularly beau- 

 tiful birds, even among their showy kind, having a long vaulted 

 tail of 18 feathers, and in the ^ a full crest, a peculiar 

 erectile cape or frill on the neck, and a pair of spurs ; 

 they are often seen in confinement, far from their Tibe- 

 tan and Chinese homes. The Pucras are six or more 

 Asiatic species of the genus Pucrasia, as P. macrolopha 

 with long cuueate tail of 10 feathers, and in 

 the $ a long crest, besides peculiar ear-tufts, 

 and a pair of spurs. Pucrasia nipalensis is 

 the type of a genus Gallophasis, and one of 

 several species which share with some of the 

 members of Gennceus the name of Ka- 

 leege or Kalij Pheasant. The genus 

 ■ Genntsus, usually called Nyctliemerus, 

 includes the Silver Pheasant G. nyctlie- 

 merus, mostly white above and black be- 

 low, with a pair of spurs, a crest, 

 and long compressed tail of 16 

 feathers ; others are the white- 

 crested G. albocristatus ; the Ne- 

 paul Pheasant, G. leucomelanns ; 

 Sylhet Pheasant, G. horsfieldi ; 

 Pheasant related to these, if not 

 The Cheer or Wallich's Pheasant 

 related to Phasianus proper. In 

 is peculiarly long and loose, with 

 and full rounded tail of 20-24 

 5, C. tibetanum, C. leiicurum, C. 

 habit high mountains, and are 

 of all Pheasants is the lately dis- 



FiG. 487. — English Pheasant, PhasUtmis colchicus. 

 (From Dixon.) 



the Chittygong Pheasant, G- muthura ; tlie 

 the Lineated, G. lineatus, etc A Formosan 

 of the same genus, is Hieroj^hasis swinhoei. 

 is Catreus wullichi, of the Himalayas, closely 

 the genus Crossoptilon of interior Asia the plumage 

 curly feathers on the head, ear-tufts, a pair of spurs, 

 feathers ; of these Eared Pheasants the species are 

 mantchuricum, C. auritum, and C. harmani ; all in- 

 called Snow Pheasants. One of the most remarkable 

 covered Lobiophasis bidweri of Borneo, the ^ of which has three pairs of fleshy lappets on the 

 head, a pair of spurs, and 32 rectrices — 28 in the 9 • I" the three species of Acomus, the short 

 compressed tail has 14 rectrices, and there are spurs in both sexes; A. erythrophtludimis is IMa- 

 layan, A. jiyronotus inhabits Borneo, and A. inornatus is Sumatran. The refulgent Impeyans 

 or Monauls constitute the genus Loj)liophorus, with a moderate rounded tail of 18 feathers, 

 and a slender aigrette on the head, like a Peacock's ; such are L. impeyanus of Cashmere, 

 L. refulgens of the Himalayas from Bhotan to Afghanistan, L. Vhuysi of Szechuen and Koko- 

 uor, and finally L. (Chalcophasis) sclateri of Assam. In tlie curious Satyrs, constituting the 



