6 Allen's naturalist's library. 



over the surface of the shell. Egg small for the size of the bird, 

 and shaped like an ordinary hen's egg. Average measurements, 

 2 "I by 1*5 inches. 



THE TRUE PHEASANTS, GENUS PHASIANUS. 

 Fhastamis, Linn. S.N. i. p. 270 (1766). 

 Type, P. coicliicus, Linn. 

 Tail composed of eighteen feathers, long and wedge-shaped, 

 the middle pair being very much longer than the outer pair. 



First primary flight-feather about equal to the eighth, and 

 cojisiderably lo?iger than the tenth* 



The male has the sides of the head covered with naked 

 scarlet skin ; there is no crest, but the ear-tufts are considerably 

 lengthened, and the feet are armed with a pair of spurs. 



The various species and sub-species of this lovely group are 

 all natives of Asia, extending to Japan and Formosa, and, to 

 facilitate their identification, may be conveniently divided into 

 the following groups : — 



L Crown of the head green or greenish-bronze. 



A, General colour of the lower back, rump, and upper 

 tail-coverts maroon or red-bronze, glossed with 

 purple or green. 



a. With 710 white ring round the neck, or 

 with only traces of one (species i to 7, 

 pp. 9-22). 



* See vol. i. p. 78, and footnote to p. 1 99. To these remarks it may 

 be added, and this is noteworthy, that the Partridge type of wing is most 

 perfectly developed in such birds as the Quails [Coficniix), capable of 

 long and protracted flights, while in the Argus Pheasants {Argusiamis), 

 which hardly ever fly, we find the most perfect type of Pheasant-wing. 

 In other words, the Phasianidce, with the outer primary quills longest, 

 are all birds in which great powers of flight are necessary, ^yhile those 

 with the inner primary quills longest, seldom use their wings, if they can 

 avoid doing so. We may thus infer that the powers of flight, among 

 these game-birds at least, are almost entirely dependent on the shape 

 of the wing, and probably the same rule will be found to apply to other 

 groui^s of birdSf 



