PHASIANIDAI—PHEASANT. 221 
Order GALLINE. 
Family PHASIANIDA. 
Genus PHASIANUS. 
4 
PHEASANT. “ 
Phasianus colchicus zzz. 
Adult Male: Head and neck metallic-purple, or green, 
according to the light; ear-coverts brown ; naked skin round 
the eyes scarlet, spotted with black; general tint of back- 
feathers copper-coloured, tipped with black, or with dark brown 
centres, and marked with pale yellow; rump and upper tail- 
coverts light brownish-red ; wings greyish-brown, mottled with 
darker brown; long tail-feathers yellowish-brown, regularly 
barred with black; feathers on breast and abdomen orange- 
red, with purplish and golden reflections, tipped and evenly- 
margined with violet-black ; lower abdomen, vent and under 
tail-coverts brownish-black; bill pale horn-colour ; legs, feet 
and spurs greyish-brown ; irides, hazel. Length about 3 feet ; 
culmen 1°2 inches; wing 9°5 ; tail 18 to 24 ; tarsus 2°5. 
Adult Female: Prevailing tint yellowish-brown, variegated 
with grey and rufous, with the centres of most feathers on head, 
neck and back black; region round the eyes feathered ; tail 
shorter than in male, dull ochreous, vermiculated and barred 
with black ; beneath dull buff, the centres of feathers black ; 
in size somewhat inferior to the male. 
Young in first plumage: Resemble the adult female. 
Distribution : Originally a native of South-eastern Europe 
and Asia Minor; now naturalised over most of temperate 
Europe. 
Habitat: Wood and plantations where there is plenty of 
cover. ; 
Note —The Chinese form with white neck ring is most commonly found in 
England now. 
