ITHAGINIS. 537 



Trans, xiii. p. 237. Phasianus Gardneri, Plardw. (the female). The GREEN 

 PHEASANT. 



Head of Ithaginis cruentus. 



Forehead black ; crown buff ; crest dull grey, with a mesial streak of buff ; 

 lores and cheeks, also a broad ring round the red orbital region black ; base 

 of the bill, chin and throat blood red ; lower throat brownish to black, with 

 a mesial stripe of greenish buff down each feather ; ear-coverts black, with 

 huffish striae; hind neck and upper surface of the body dark grey, each 

 feather striped mesially with buff, which is again bounded by black ; wing 

 coverts the same ; tail grey, passing into greyish-white at the tips ; the 

 shafts while and the basal three-fourths of the feathers broadly margined with 

 blood red ; breast, sides of the abdomen and flanks pale green with lighter 

 shafts ; breast feathers with a blood red spot near the centre of either margin ; 

 centre" of abdomen, thighs and vent dark brownish grey, with a greenish 

 mesial stripe bounded by black ; under tail coverts deep blood red, tipped with 

 pale yellow. 



Bill brownish, black at tip and red at the base ; irides brown ; legs and feet 

 coral red. 



Length. 16 to 17 inches; wing 8-5 ; tail 6-5 ; tarsus 2*75. 



The female has the forehead, cheeks and chin, bright rusty yellow ; upper 

 parts ferruginous brown mottled very finely with blackish ; first primary plain 

 dark brown, the others and the tail dark brown, freckled finely with blackish ; 

 lower parts brighter ferruginous brown than the back ; under tail coverts and 

 vent mottled with brown. 



Hab.S.-E. Himalayas, in Nepaul and Sikkim, more abundant in the latter, 

 affecting ranges from 10,000 to 14,000 feet. According to Hodgson they are 

 not rare. In November and December numbers are caught. They ascend and 

 descend with the snow, and are easily captured, being fearless and stupid. 

 VOL. II. 70 



