GENNJ2US. 91 



Bill greenish horny; irides dark brown; orbital skin crimson ; 

 feet brownish grey-horny (Scully). 



Dimensions less than those of G. albicHstatus : length of male 

 23 to 26 ; tail about 11-5 ; wing 9 ; tarsus 2'9 ; bill from gape 

 1*3 : length of female about 20 ; tail 8 ; wing 8. 



Distribution. Almost throughout Nepal, from the extreme or 

 nearly the extreme west, to the Arun River, at all events, on the 

 east, and from the base of the hills to 9000 feet near Khatmandu. 

 Mandelli obtained specimens, now in the British Museum collec- 

 tion, from " Dholaka," probably on the Arun River. 



Habits, c. Similar to those of the last. The eggs do not 

 appear to have been described. Two young males brought up in 

 confinement were found to assume the black plumage when about 

 rive months old. 



This Kahj \vas regarded by Blyth and Jerdon as a hybrid 

 between G. albicristatus and G. melanonotus ; but Scully has shown 

 that G. leucomelanus is constant in plumage throughout the 

 greater part of Nepal, where neither of the other two races is 

 found. 



1338. Gennseus melanonotus. The Black -baclced Kalij Pheasant. 



Euplocomus melanotus, Blyth, Hutton,J. A. S. B. xvii, pt. 2, p. 694 



(1848) : Bhfth, Cat. p. 244 ; Hume, S. F. v, p. 42. 

 Gallophasis melanotus, Mitchell, P. Z. S. ] 858, p. 545, pi. 149, fig. 2 



(egg) ; Jerdon, B. I. iii, p. 534 ; Hume. N. $ E. p. 527. 

 Euplocamus melanonotus, Hume fy Marsh. Game B. i, p. 191, 



pi. ; Hume, Cat. no. 811 ; Oates in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. iii, 



p. 415. 

 (irennseiis muthura, Ogilvie Grant, Cat. B. M. xxii, p. 301. 



Kar-rhyak, Lepcha. 



The male differs from the last species in wanting entirely the 

 white bars on the lower back and rump, where the feathers have 

 velvety-black edges. There are no whitish edges on the upper 

 back. The whole upper plumage is black, richly glossed with 

 violet, and on the wings and tail with greenish, and conspicuously 

 white-shafted. The female is similar to that of G. levcomelanus. 



Bill yellowish or greenish horny ; irides brown ; orbital skin 

 bright red ; legs and feet pale horny brown (Hume). 



Dimensions as in G. leucomelanus. 



The name G. muthura cannot, I think, be used for this species ; 

 it was founded on Latham's " Chittvgong Pheasant," which, it' 

 it was, as stated, an inhabitant of the Chittagong hills and known 

 to the natives as " muthurau" should have been G. horsfieldi. 

 But it was said to have a white breast, and to be as large as a 

 Turkey, three feet eight inches in length, with an even tail. 

 It is impossible to identify any species of Gennceus with this 

 description. 



Distribution. Sikhim Himalayas, from about 1000 to 8000 feet 

 elevation, chiefly from 2000 to 6000 feet. This species extends 



