TTHAGENES. 103 



species was not found there by Godwin-Austen, and the occurrence 

 of this Pheasant north of Assam requires confirmation. 



Habits, $c. Very similar to those of other species. A few 

 details are given by Godwin-Austen (Z.c.) and by l)r. H. S. Wood 

 in the 'Asian' (June 15th, 1894, p. 173). The food is said to 

 consist chiefly of berries, and the bird inhabits high forests of 

 oak and other trees. 



Genus ITHAGENES, Wagler, 1832. 



The Blood Pheasants are peculiar to the higher ranges of the 

 Eastern Himalayas, Eastern Tibet and the neighbouring parts of 

 China. They resemble the typical Pheasants in structure and 

 in the difference of coloration between the sexes, the female 

 being very modestly clad, as in most Pheasants, whilst the males 

 are handsome birds, grey above and apple-green below. 



The tarsus is longer than the middle toe and claw, and bears two 

 or more spurs (sometimes as many as 4 or 5) in males, not in 

 females : the bill is stout, and there is a considerable naked area 

 round the eye. The 1st primary is much shorter than the 10th, 

 the 5th usually longest ; the tail, of 14 feathers and slightly 

 rounded, is about - the length of the wing. The plumage is long 

 and soft, and the feathers lanceolate, and there is a full but not 

 long crest on the crown. 



Three species are known, but only one is Indian. 



1347. Ithagenes cruentus. The Blood Pheasant. 



Phasianus cruentus, Hardtcickc, TV. Linn. Soc. xiii, p. 237(1822), . 

 Ithaginis cruentus, Wat/I. Isis, 1832, p. 1228; JMyth, Cat. p. 241 ; 



Jet-don, J5. I. iii, p. 522 ; Blanf. J. A. S. B. xli, pt. 2, p. 71. 

 Ithagenes cruentus, Hume fy Marsh. Game B. i, p. loo, pi. ; Hume, 



Cat. no. 807 ; Scully, S. F. viii, p. 343 ; Ogilvie Grant, Cat. B. M. 



xxii, p. 268. 



The Green Blood PJieasanf, Jerdon ; ChiUmc, Xepal ; Semo, Bhot. ; 

 Su-mong, Lepch. 



*"- /''--'' ?; r -/^^f^y 

 Fig. 20. Head of Z cruentus, 



Coloration. Male. Forehead, lores, and a band above and below 

 each eye black, these two bands often mixed with crimson where 

 they meet behind the eye ; crown buffy white ; upper parts from the 



