Phasianus torquatus and its Allies. 315 



more rufous tail aud flanks apparently denote affinity with 

 P. vlangali and P. elegans. 



— ^Phasianus vlangali. 



This Pheasant is only known from examples obtained by 

 Prjevalsky in Zaidam, west of Koko Nor, in North-eastern 

 Tibet. 



It may at once be recognized by its uniform pale chestnut 

 scapulars. 



It is nearest allied to P. strauchi and P. elegans, having 

 the preponderance of green on the breast so characteristic of 

 the latter, but its absence on the mantle so conspicuous in 

 the former. 



—Phasianus elegans. 



This Pheasant inhabits Yun-nan, whence it was described 

 by Anderson under the name of P. sladeni. According to 

 Elliot it ranges northwards into South Setchuen. 



Its metallic golden chestnut flanks, spotted with glossy 

 black (with purple or green reflexions), and its chestnut tail 

 (barred with black), distinguish it from all its allies, except 

 from P. strauchi and P. vlangali. From the former it is 

 easily distinguished by its green breast, and from the latter 

 by the black, lohite, and green on its scapulars. 



It is nearest related to P. vlangali, and more distantly to 

 P. strauchi. Some ornithologists have regarded it as a cross 

 between P. versicolor (presumably imported into Setchuen 

 from Japan for the purpose) and P. decollatus ; but it is 

 scarcely possible that the " deep chestnut-red " of the tail of 

 P. elegans could have been produced by a cross between the 

 olive-grey of that of P. versicolor and the dark ochre of that 

 of P. decollatus. 



Many of these races are known to interbreed freely, and 

 there can be no doubt that all of them would do so, and 

 produce fertile off'spring, whenever they had the opportunity. 

 There is in the gallery of the British Museum a Pheasant 

 which was presented to the National Collection by the late 

 J. R. Reeves, and which was brought alive from China and 

 died in the gardens of the Zoological Society in 1839. It 



