2i8 Lloyd's natural history. 



IL GEOFFROy's blood pheasant. ITHAGEN'ES geoffroyl 

 Ithagmis geoffroyi, Verr. Bull. See. d'Acclim. (2), iv. p. 706 

 (1867) ; Gould, B. Asia, vii. pi. 42 (1872) ; Elliot, Monogr. 

 Phas. ii. pi. 31 (1872) ; David and Oustalet, Ois. Chine, p. 

 401, pi. 113 (1877). 

 Ithagenes geoffroyi, Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 

 269 (1893). 



Adult Male. — Differs chiefly from the male of /. crueiiius in 

 having the long crest-feathers grey^ with white shafts ; a larger 

 patch of green on the wing-coverts ; and the chiii^ throaty and 

 chest grey. Total length, 17 inches ; wing, 77 ; tail, 6 ; tarsus, 

 2-6. 



Adult Female. — Differs from the female of /. cmejiius in 

 having the forehead^ sides of the head, chin, and throat brown- 

 ish ; the upper- and under-parts alike greyish-brown, the latter 

 finely mottled all over with blackish-brown. Total length, 16 

 inches; wing, 7*1 ; tail, 5"i ; tarsus, 2*5. 



Range. — Higher regions of Eastern Tibet and Western Sze- 

 chuen, China. 



Habits Writing of this species, Abbe David, its original dis- 

 coverer, says that it lives in more or less numerous flocks near 

 the limits of the upper forest-region, preferring the bamboo- 

 jungles. Ordinarily its food consists of young shoots, leaves, 

 and seeds, but the stomachs of three birds he killed in April, 

 whilst the country was still covered with snow, contained 

 absolutely nothing but moss. These fine birds are in the 

 habit of perching on trees, and they are extremely sociable 

 by nature, and after the young are hatched, several old 

 pairs in company bring up their united families and form 

 one covey. 



Nest. — One found on the ground under brushwood in the 

 forest, at an elevation of 13,500 feet above sea-level. 



Eggs. — Buff, spotted with reddish-brown. Average measure- 

 ments, 1*95 by 1-31 inch. 



