SPORT IN WESTERN CHINA 113 



and western Szechuan to this species. As far as I can deter- 

 mine this Pheasant is restricted to the low hilly country 

 bordering the Yangtsze River from Wan Hsien westward to 

 Sui Fu. It is also found in the valley of the Min River around 

 Kiating Fu, which district may be regarded as its northern 

 limits. It ranges from the river-level up to about 3000 feet 

 altitude, and possibly to 1000 feet higher south of Chungking, 

 which is about the regional optimum of the species. Scrub- 

 clad hillsides and thin woods bordering cultivation in the 

 Yangtsze region of the Red Basin is the home of this Pheasant. 



The species was founded by Swinhoe [Proceedings, Zoological 

 Society, London, 1870, p. 135), on a bird purchased by his Boy 

 in the market at Chungking on 13th May 1869 ; a Pheasant 

 without a ring was a surprising novelty to Swinhoe, and he 

 could scarcely credit the story of a Ring-neck bird being un- 

 known around Chungking. 



This Pheasant is characterized by having the crown deep 

 brown, with the feathers margined with bronzed reflections ; 

 no white superciliary markings and no indication of white 

 neck-ring ; bare red patch on face very small ; entire neck 

 duck-green with purple reflections ; feathers of upper back 

 have the centres black with a narrow, medium, yellowish streak 

 and broad chestnut cross mark ; breast, chestnut-brown, with 

 broad black margins reflecting green ; flanks, buff ; tail, 

 broadly barred with black ; total length, 36 to 39 inches. 



It is distinguished from P. holdereri by its differently coloured 

 breast, longer tail, and different markings on the feathers of 

 the upper back. Its closest ally is P. berezovskyi [ante, p. 112). 

 P. decollatiis and its allied species form a well-marked group, 

 in which the greenish colour of the neck-feathers stops abruptly 

 at apex of the breast, forming a sharp line of demarcation in 

 colour. In P. elegans and allied species, which constitute 

 another well-marked group, no such line of demarcation is 

 found, the colour of the lower neck and chest merging gradually 

 into that of the breast. 



Strauch's Pheasant [Phasianus strauchi) occurs in Kansu 

 province and on the mountains bordering the Amdo region, 

 frequenting woody places up to 10,000 feet altitude, and may 

 possibly extend into north-western Szechuan. It is described 



VOL. II. — 8 



