36 ALLEN'S naturalist's LIBRARY. 



Mr. A. D. Bartlett, the Superintendent of the Zoological 

 Gardens in London, writing of this species, says: — "Among 

 the Phasianidce some species are remarkable for their pug- 

 nacious and fierce dispositions ; not only the males, but 

 frequently the females, destroy each other. The want of 

 suffi:ient space and means of escape among bushes, shrubs, or 

 trees is no doubt the cause of many females being killed when 

 kept in confinement ; and this serious misfortune is unhappily 

 of no rare occurrence. After the cost and trouble in obtaining 

 pairs of these beautiful birds, and when they have recovered 

 from their long confinement on the voyage, their owner is 

 desirous of reaping a reward by obtaining an abundant supply 

 of eggs as the birds approach the breeding-season, alas ! he 

 finds that some disturbance has occurred, the place is filled 

 with feathers, and the female bird, from which he expected so 

 much, is found dead or dying, her head scalped, her eyes 

 picked out, or some other equally serious injury inflicted. I 

 have found some species more inclined to this cruel practice 

 than others, the worst, according to my experience, being P, 

 scemmerringii.^^ 



Eggs. — Pale greenish-white ; rather long ovals ; shell smooth 

 and fine. Average measurements, 1*8 by 1-35 inch. 



VAR. a. PHASIANUS SCINTILLANS. 



Phasianus {Grapliophasianus) scintillaus^ Gould, Ann. Mag. 



N. H. (3) xvii. p. 150 (1866); id. B. Asia, vii. pi. 38 



(1867). 

 Phasianus scenimerringn^ var. sdnti/hi?is, Elliot, Monogr. 



Phasian. ii. pi. xiii. (1872); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. 



Mus. xxii. p. 337 (1893). 

 By many authors this form of the Scemmerring's Pheasant 

 is regarded as a distinct species ; but it can only be recognised 

 as a well-marked variety, for it not only occurs in the same 

 islands where P. sKmmerr'wgii is found, but every intermediate 

 stage of plumage between the two forms may be seen. 



