170 Mr. H. Seebohm ow 



Phasianus colchicus. 



The range of the Common Pheasant^ irrespective of the 

 countries where it has been artificially introduced, may be 

 comprised in a triangle, of which Smyrna may be regarded 

 as the western apex, and the western shore of the Caspian, 

 from Astrakan almost to Astrabad, as the base. 



P. colchicus scarcely differs from P. persicus, except that 

 its wing-coverts are redder; the much whiter wing-coverts 

 of its Trans-Caspian ally being caused, probably, by the 

 difference in the rainfall of the area of its distribution com- 

 pared with that of its ally. There is also a difference in the 

 colour of the rump and upper tail-coverts, which are brick- 

 red in the western form and purple-lake in the eastern one. 



In speaking of the colours of the plumage of Pheasants, 

 it is of the utmost importance to remember that most of the 

 colours are lustrous or metallic, and consequently vary with 

 the direction of the light. If a skin of P. mongolicus be 

 placed between the observer and the light, the mantle appears 

 to be brick -red; on the other hand, if the observer stand be- 

 tween the light and the bird, the mantle of the latter appears 

 to be green. Under a similar change of position the colour of 

 the rump and upper tail-coverts of P. persicus changes from 

 brick-red to purple-lake, and the sj)ots on the uuderparts of 

 P. chrysomelas pass from an almost peacock-blue to a nearly 

 emerald-green. The colour of some other parts, as the 

 breast of P. principalis or the mantle of P. chrysomelas, only 

 varies slightly in intensity with the change of position. 



Phasianus persicus. 



This Pheasant is only known from the valley of the 

 Attreck river. 



It is an intermediate form between P. colchicus and P. 

 principalis, having the narrow margins of the feathers of the 

 underparts of the former, and the whiter wing-coverts of the 

 latter, and differing from both in having the rump and upper 

 tail-coverts suffused with purple-lake when the light falls 

 upon the bird from the back of the observer. In none of 

 these three races can any green be detected on the centre of 

 the breast and belly in any light. 



