6 LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



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*1 by 1*5 inches. 



THE TRUE PHEASANTS. GENUS THASIANUS. 



Phasiaiws^ Linn. S.N. i. p. 270 (1766). 

 Type, P. colchicKS, Linn. 



Tail composed of eightee?i 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 

 considerably longer 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 no 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. 199. To these remarks it may 

 l^e added, and this is noteworthy, that the Partridge type of wing is most 

 perfectly developed in such birds as the Quails {Cotiiinix), capable of 

 long and protracted flights, while in the Argus Pheasants [Afgusiamis), 

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

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

 are all birds in which great powers of flight are necessary, while 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 

 .groups of birds. 



