PHASIANIDyE — PHASTANIX.E: PHEASANTS. 725 



genus Tragopan, the ^ has a pair of fleshy horns and a large dewlap ; the tail is 18-feathered. 

 These horned l*iieasants inhabit India, China, etc. ; there are 5 species, T. satyra, T. melano- 

 cephalus, T. temmincJci, T. blytJd, and 'T. caboti. In tlie Sanguine or Blood Pheasant, Itha- 

 genes cnientus, the plumage is varied with crimson, black, white, green, etc.; the tail is 14- 

 feathered, and the ^ has two or three pairs of spurs. This species inhabits Nepaul, Sikkim, 

 Bhotan, and Thibet; the others of the genus are I. geoffroyi and I. sinensis. This rapid 

 glance at Plmsianince omits a few forms on the boundary of the subfamily, where it inosculates 

 with tlie Partridges, and is exclusive of the largest central genus, as follows: — 

 PHASIA'NUS. (Gr. (Paaiavos. 2)h(tsia>ios, hai. jihasianus, a pheasant, i.e. the Phasian bird, 

 so called from the Phasis, a river in Colchis now called the Rioui.) PHEASANTS. Tail long 

 or very long, cuneate, of J 8, seldom 16, feathers, of whicli the middle pair are long-cxserted ; 

 tail as a whole straight or a little drooping, but not completely folded. Wings moderate, with 

 1st primary excepticnially long in this subfamily, about equalling the 8th. Sides of head more 

 or less naked about the eyes, and with a tuft over each ear, but no crest on the crown. ^ 

 single-spurred. 9 smaller than ^, and much less elegantly attired. The largest genus of 

 Plmsianince, of about iJO species, ranging in a state of nature from southeastern Europe across 

 Asia and in Formosa. There are several subgenera or sections. In P. ellioti, type of Calophasis, 

 tiie rectrices are only 10. This species, in which the plumage is in part black and white, in- 

 liabits some portions of China. The related P. humifC, also with 16 tail-feathers, is found in 

 Burmah. The other species all have 18 rectrices. The tail attains its maximum length in 

 P. recvesi of China, type of the genus Sgrmaticus ; in this the total length of the ^ may reach 

 6^ feet, of which the tail may be about 5 feet ; and the plumage is extremely beautiful. 

 Scemniering's Pheasant (see below) is type of Graphophasianiis. The remaining species 

 form a compact grotip, fairly well represented by the following species iutroiluced and to some 

 extent naturalized in our country : 



Analysis of Species ((f). 



A pair of occipital plumicorns. Neck burnished blue. {Subge/ius Phasianus.) 



Breast coppery chestnut, with black scallops. No white collar colchicus 



A white collar torquntus 



Breast rich dark green versicolor 



No occipital plinnicorns. (Subgenus Graphophasianus.) 



Neck coppery chestnut scrmmeringi 



P. col'chicus. (Lat. of Colcliis. Fig. 487.) Common Pheasant. English Piikasant. 

 Adult J : Head and neck burnished blue with green, bronze, or purplish reflections ; no white 

 collar. Back orange-brown, witli dark greenish scallops and otlier variegation ; rump and upper 

 tail-coverts rufous, with black and reddish variegation. Breast coppery-chestnut, with pur- 

 plisli edgings of tlie feathers, and some greenish gloss. Tail olive-brown, edged with purplish- 

 rufous, and cros.sed with remote black bars of increasing width fn>ni ba.se to tip. Bare skin of 

 head scarlet. Length very variable, according to development of the tail, but up to 3 feet : 

 tail 21.00 or less ; wing 10.00. Adult 9 much smaller and less richly colored ; length about 

 2 feet ; tail a foot ; wing 8.50. Native of Asia Minor, N. to the Volga, E. in southern Turkey 

 to Greece; introduced into Britain prior to A.u. 10.56, and long perfectly naturalized there, as 

 in various (tther European countries; the principal game of English preserves: lately intro- 

 duced in the Eastern U. S., but whether naturalized remains to be seen. 



I', torqua'tus. (Lat. having a torques, or collar ; collan'd.) King Piikasant. .Vdult ^ : 

 Closely resembling the last; a white ring around the neck. Cliin.i, and other Asiatic countries; 

 lately introduced in Oregon, and perhaps naturalized. 



IV versicolor. (Lat. veisicolorus, many-hiicd or of changeable coloration.) (Jukkn I'iikasant. 

 Jai'AN Piikasant. Adult ,$ '■ ^I'"^'^ of the under parts rich dark green; back the sumo, 

 glossed with pnrpli.sh and varied with bulT; top of head bronzy green as in the foregoing; 



