THE MOONAL-PHEASANTS. 



THE three species of Moonals which are 

 found within our limits are the most 

 gorgeous of the game birds, the males 

 being clothed in rich metallic plumage 

 which vies in brilliancy with that of the 

 Peacocks. 



The Moonals may be divided into two 

 sections. In the first (Lophophorus) the 

 males have a crest composed of about a 

 dozen very peculiar feathers three inches 

 in length. These feathers have a bare 

 shaft and an oval enlargement at the tip. 

 A small space round the eye is naked. 



In the second section (Chakophasis) the 

 male has a very short bushy crest of curly 

 feathers covering the whole crown, and 

 the front portion of the head is naked, with 

 the exception of a small tuft of feathers 

 below each nostril. 



In both sections the females have only 

 a small space behind the eye naked. 



The tail of all these birds is rounded 

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