86 



PHASIANID.E. 



feathers of fore neck and sides of throat black-edged ; breast 

 rufous buff, the lanceolate feathers with lateral subrnarginal black 

 streaks and pale tips ; flanks similar, but less rufous ; middle of 

 abdomen white, the anterior feathers with dark brown centres ; 

 vent-feathers and lower tail-coverts \vhite at the end, mixed 

 chestnut and black near the base. 



Bill black or dusky in males, dark horny in females ; irides dark 

 brown; legs and feet grey, tiuged purplish in some males. 



Length of male about 24 ; tail 9 to 11 ; wing 9-5 ; tarsus 2'6 ; 

 bill from gape 1-4. Length of female about 21 ; tail 8 ; wing 8'5 ; 

 tarsus 2-25. 



Distribution. On the Himalayas at elevations between about 

 4000 feet and the upper limits of forest, from Jumla in Western 

 Nepal to Kashmir. The supposed occurrence of this species in 

 Bhutan is due to error. 



This species, as Hume and others have shown, is very variable. 

 The chestnut on the breast and the black lanceolate stripes on the 

 feathers of the back vary greatly in breadth. In typical P. macro- 

 lopha, from the N.W. Himalayas, the chestnut of the lower throat 

 does not extend round the neck, and the feathers of the back, 

 wing-coverts, and sides of the breast have their black shaft-stripes 

 narrow, very often narrower than the grey edges. 



In P. nipalensis, from Western Nepal, these feathers of the 

 back, &c., are black, with narrow grey edges, and sometimes the 

 shafts are whitish, there being even in some individuals a narrow 

 pale shaft-stripe. Sometimes also the feathers at the back and 

 sides of the neck are partly chestnut. There is a gradual passage 

 from P. macroloplia to P. nipalensis, and both are highly variable. 

 In the female of P. nipalensis there is often much chestnut on the 

 tail-feathers. A skin with rather more chestnut than usual on 

 the neck appears to have been figured in the ' Planches Coloriees,' 

 no. 545, as Tragopan duvaucel. 



The variety from Western Kashmir, P. ?>iddulp7ii, has the 

 chestnut of the breast mixed with black and extending round the 

 neck; the middle tail-feathers are greyer. This race resembles 

 P. nipalensis, but the black shaft-stripes on the back are narrow ; 

 it leads to P. castanea. 



This last species, P. catttanea (Gould, P. Z. S. 1854, p. 90; 

 Cat. B. M. xxii, p. 314), is only known by two skins said to 

 have been obtained from Kafiristan, and now in the British 

 Museum. The neck all round, upper back, breast, and flanks are 

 chestnut, and the middle of the abdomen black. This form appears 

 wjrthy of specific distinction, and it is said to occur in Tassin, 

 Ohitral, and Swat ; but I cannot learn that any specimens from 

 those countries have been clearly identified, so I do not for the 

 present include P. castanea in the Indian fauna. 



Habits, Sfc. The Koklas is a forest bird, usually found in coveys 

 throughout the autumn and winter, singly or in pairs at other 

 times. Jt keeps much to well-wooded slopes, lies well, and w T hen 

 flushed often rises with what "Mountaineer" calls a low screeching 



