Mr. D. G. Elliot on Phasianus ignitus. 413 



about these parts which would entitle the '' Chinese '' iudi- 

 vidual to put forward a claim to a distinct rank. If we turn 

 to the back, it is observed that the colouring of the lower part 

 in the " Chinese " example is lighter than that of P. nobilis, 

 and more like the bird called by me P. ignitus {P. vieilloti, 

 Sclater) ; but I find that the two specimens of P. nobilis 

 differ in this respect, one being much darker than the other; 

 so there is evidently a variation in the hues of the rump, and 

 it is not impossible that spccimeus may be found of P. nobilis 

 as lightly coloured on the back as is this " Chinese " one. 

 Another feature in this unsatisfactory bird is the colour of 

 the median rectrices. This is white, and therefore does not 

 answer to Latham^s description of P. ignitus, as he uses the 

 term subfulvus to describe the hue of these feathers. The 

 median rectrices of P. nobilis, so far as I am aware, although 

 they vary from a dark to a light buff, never become white, 

 which, however, is the colour of those in the birds called P. 

 vieilloti by Sclater. The points therefore of difference between 

 this ''Chinese'^ example and the two well-known species are 

 these : — From P. nobilis it differs chiefly in the white central 

 rectrices ; and from P. ignitus, or vieilloti, as this form has 

 been called by naturalists, it differs in the chestnut flanks. 

 The bird may be said to represent exactly an intermediate 

 stag^ between the two species just named, with indications 

 strongly suggestive of hybridism ; and as its origin is open to 

 serious doubt, and as it is without any name certainly ap- 

 plicable to it (Latham's description of P. ignitus not agreeing, 

 as already shown), its status can only be satisfactorily deter- 

 mined Avhen the exact locality from which the bird comes is 

 first authentically ascertained. The habitat " China " at- 

 tached to the specimen cannot be considered as the true one; 

 for no such form as Euplocamus is found in China ; and as the 

 specimen undoubtedly came from that land, the bird has pro- 

 bably been bred by the Chinese, possibly by mating together 

 the two species already recognized. In support of the view 

 that the specimen has been in captivity, I would add that 

 nearly half the primaries have been cut away, evidently to 

 prevent its escaping, which would certainly not have been 



