THE EARED-PHEASANTS. 25 1 



for it frequents the dense mountain forests, is extremely shy, 

 and very rarely seen, all the specimens obtained being caught 

 by means of snares. 



Mr. C. Hose writes : " Bulwer's Pheasant is only found on 

 the mountains, though it does not ascend very high, not 

 extending beyond 2,000 feet as far as I know. The actions of 

 this bird are entirely Fowl-like, and it is much more like a 

 Jungle Fowl in its ways than a Pheasant. Wolf's picture in the 

 * Birds of Asia ' gives a wrong idea of the carriage of the bird, 

 and I very much doubt whether it ever sits up in the way 

 there depicted. On the contrary, it skulks along through the 

 jungle, carrying its tail in a curve like a Fowl. It is often 

 trapped by the natives and is essentially a ground-bird, seldom 

 taking flight, but preferring to run through the jungle to save 

 itself. I believe that it takes quite three years before the full 

 white tail is assumed. Native name ' Bagier.' " 



THE EARED-PIIEASANTS. GENUS CROSSOPTILON. 



Crossoptilon, Hodgson, J. As. Soc. Beng. vii. p. 864 (1838). 

 Type, C. tihetanum^ Hodgson. 



Tail composed of Hventy to hvcnty-four feathers (the number 

 varying in the different species), large, full, and rounded, the 

 middle pair being twice as long as the outer pair. The 

 extremities of the middle pair much curved, the webs long 

 and decomposed. 



First flight-feather shorter than the second which is equal to 

 the ninth or tenth ; fifth or sixth somewhat the longest. 



Sides of the face naked, red, and covered with small 

 papillae. 



Plumage of sexes similar; ear-coverts much lengthened and 

 forming a lotig ivhite tuft on each side of the head. 



Feet in male armed with short stout spurs. 



