200 



DIARD'S PHEASANT. 



Phasianus versicolor VIEILLOT. 

 PLATE XIV. MALE.XV. FEMALE. 



Le Faisan versicolor, Phasianus versicolor, Vieillot^ Gal 

 lerie des Oiseaux, pi. 205 Temminck, Planches Coloriees. 

 Male, pi. 486. Female, pi. 493. 



THIS beautiful pheasant was first noticed by M. 

 Diard, who procured a specimen which had been 

 imported to Batavia, and is first figured and de- 

 scribed by M. Vieillot in his Gallery, and since by 

 M. Temminck, who has also added the portrait of the 

 female, both of which have been used for the accom- 

 panying illustrations. It is a native of Japan, fre- 

 quenting the woods, according to Seiboldt, and pos- 

 sessing the manners and habits of the common bird. 



Diard's pheasant is nearly of the size and form of 

 the common naturalised breed, but the tail is some- 

 what shorter in proportion. The naked space of 

 the cheeks is bright scarlet. The head and upper 

 part of the neck are of a golden green, with violet 

 reflections ; the throat and fore part of the neck of 

 a lively blue ; lower part of the neck, breast, and 

 upper parts of the body, of a deep green, with a 



