38 Allen's naturalist's library. 



are mostly blackish-brown ; feathers of the upper mantle 

 rufous, tipped with brownish-grey, mottled with black, and each 

 wath a somewhat heart-shaped white spot ; rest of the upper- 

 parts mottled with rufous, buff, and grey, the wing-coverts and 

 scapulars with buff, and the lower back with black, shaft-stripes; 

 chest, breast, and sides somewhat like the mantle, but the white 

 spots much less conspicuous; rest of under-parts pale buff; 

 the middle tail-feathers mottled with sandy, buff, and black ; 

 outer pairs chestnut mixed with black, and barred and tipped 

 with white. Total length, 32 inches; wing, 9; tail, i6-6; tar- 

 sus, 2*5. 



Range.— Mountains of Northern and Western China, extend- 

 ing as far east as Kiu-kiang. 



HaMts. — The following account of this magnificent Pheasant, 

 the giant of its genus, is given by Mr. E. F. Creagh, in the 

 "Field" of May 13th, 1886, and, though written more from a 

 sportsman's point of view, it gives some idea of the birds' habits 

 in a wild state, and is by far the most interesting note that I 

 have been able to find, very few Europeans having had the 

 good fortune to meet with this Pheasant in its native wilds. 



" It was from Ichang, a post at the head waters of the 

 Yangtse, the great river of China, or rather, where that river 

 leaves its gorges, that I started with the stream to a large 

 valley w^here I knew Reeves's Pheasants had been seen. It 

 is useless to ask any questions of the country folk, who will 

 always say 'Yes.' I therefore landed and walked along a wide 

 valley, with high perpendicular mountains of conglomerate on 

 either side, and beetling over small woods of cypress. The 

 birds live on the berry of this tree, and fly from one wood to 

 another. They will never show themselves if they can avoid 

 it, and, through their great fleetness when running, steal away 

 from the dogs. Sometimes, however, when taken by surprise, 

 they rise, and then only by great caution can a single sports- 

 man hope to get them. Surrounding the small woods with 



