18 LLOYD’S NATURAL HISTORY. 
Thus in the past year, in December, it had been obtained as 
high as Goolbah, a village some thirty miles up Samarkand. 
It is to be hoped that in a couple of years this species may be 
common on the Russian Zarafshan. On the other hand, P. 
mongolicus (turned out in 1881-83) has nearly disappeared in 
Pagbeet ; in the past year there has been obtained but one 
specimen of this species (November, 1899, Lake Doort-Kul), 
which tends to prove that it is being crowded out by the 
aboriginal species. 
‘The Pheasant of the Zarafshan has a mode of life totally 
differing from its other Asiatic brethren, owing to the high 
state of cultivation of the Zarafshan Valley; it breeds and 
nests in reed swamps and marshes bordering on this stream, 
and takes its food from the neighbouring fields and gardens. 
The best time for obtaining it is just before sunrise, when it 
may be found congregated in the reed swamps mentioned 
above. Mr. Klossovski shot in November, 1890, a hen of this 
species in male plumage.” 
The account given by Lieutenant Tarnovski of the habits of 
this bird closely agrees with Dr. Aitchison’s account of the 
habits of P. principalis given above, and there can be no doubt 
that the present species is in every way closely allied to it. 
V. SHAW’S PHEASANT. PHASIANUS SHAWI. 
Phastanus shawt, Elliot, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 4033 id. Monogr. 
Phasian. ii. pl. i. (1872); Scully, Stray Feathers, iv. p. 179 
(1876) ; Gould, B. Asia, vii. pl. 35 (1876) ; Sharpe, Second 
Varkand Miss. Aves, p. 120 (1891); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. 
Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 326 (1893). 
Phasianus insignis, Elliot, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 404 5 id. Monogr. 
Phasian. ii. pl. ii, (1872). 
Adult Male—May be distinguished from P. colchicus by 
having the lesser and median wing-coverts zw/z/e or whitish- 
buff; the lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts orange- 
bronze with greenish and purplish reflections, the feathers of 
