THE TRUE PHEASANTS. 



THE typical Pheasants, or those which 

 resemble our common English Pheasant 

 in structure, are represented within our 

 limits by a single species which has recently 

 been found to occur in the Northern Shan 

 States. Probably other species may be 

 met with presently in that large mountain- 

 ous territory. 



In the true Pheasants the tail is com- 

 posed of 1 8 feathers and is long, straight, 

 narrow and pointed. The feathers are 

 much graduated, the outermost pair falling 

 far short of the middle point of the central 

 pair. The feathers of the rump are very 

 soft, long and ample, and fall over the 

 base of the tail. 



In both sexes the feathers of the crown 

 are somewhat lengthened, forming a very 

 short blunt crest. 



The ma-le has the sides of the head 

 naked and brilliant red ; a pair of ear- 

 tufts pointing backwards ; and a spur on 

 each leg. 



The sexes in the true Pheasants are 

 very different in colour, and the male is 

 considerably larger than the female. 

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