104 



nape slaty grey, with white shaft-stripes that become broader and 

 black-edged behind, and are tinged with green on the rump and 

 upper tail-coverts ; on most of the median and major wing-coverts, 

 besides the pale shaft-stripe, the terminal portion of each feather 

 is washed with green, and the upper tail-coverts have crimson 

 lateral edges ; quills brown with white shafts, the secondaries 

 with white shaft-stripes and buff edges ; tail-feathers white at the 

 ends, shading into dusky brown with crimson borders towards the 

 base ; chin, throat, and lower cheeks crimson ; fore neck and sides 

 of neck whitish, the feathers black at the base ; breast and abdo- 

 men to the thighs apple-green, the colour deepest on the edges of 

 the feathers, a few irregular crimson spots on the upper breast; 

 lower abdomen and flanks like the lower back; under tail-coverts 

 crimson, tipped with greenish white. 



Female. Brown, finely vermiculated with black ; lower surface 

 paler, pale-shafted and more rufous; occiput and nape dark slaty 

 grey ; forehead, sides of head, chin, and throat brownish rufous ; 

 quills dark brown, only mottled on outer webs of secondaries. 



Bill black; cere, gape, legs, feet, and spurs red; irides brown ; 

 orbital skin scarlet to orange-red. 



Length of male about 18; tail 6*75; wing 8'5: tarsus 2'75 ; 

 bill from gape '85. Female smaller : length 17 ; tail 5*7-5 ; wing 

 7'6 ; tarsus 2'd. 



Distribution. The higher ranges of the Nepal, Sikhim, and Bhu- 

 tan Himalayas, at elevations of 10.000 to 14,000 feet. Neither 

 the Eastern nor Western limits of this Pheasant are correctly 

 known, but the range does not extend to Kumaun. 



Habits, $-c. The Blood Pheasant in Sikhim inhabits pine-forests, 

 and is found about September in small flocks, doubtless families, of 

 10 to 15 birds, males and females in about equal numbers. It is 

 said by Hooker to feed on the tops of pine and juniper, and the 

 berries of the latter, but those killed by me in September had fed 

 on various leaves, seeds, small fruits, &c., not on conifers. It has 

 a peculiar long call, something like the squeal of a Kite, and also a 

 shorter monosyllabic alarm-note. It is by no means shy and is very 

 averse to flying. Nothing precise is known of the breeding-habits 

 except that Hooker states that he sa\v the young in May. The 

 spurs appear not to be assumed the first year ; they vary greatly in 

 number. Hooker notices that he has seen as many as 5 on one 

 leg, and 4 on the other. I found these Pheasants fair eating in 

 September, but according to Hooker they have usually a strong 

 flavour of turpentine derived from, their food. 



Genus OPHRYSIA, Bcuap., 1856. 



This little-known Himalayan bird, the only member of the 

 genus, is difficult to classify. It has been placed with the Quails 

 or with Rollulvs, but it does not show much resemblance to either. 

 The sexes are quite dissimilar and the plumage is long and lax, 

 with the feathers somewhat lanceolate. The tarsus is a little 



