Geographical Distribution of the True Pheasants. 377 



XXIX. — On the Geographical Distribution of the True 

 Pheasants (Genus Phasianus sensu stricto). By S. A. 



BlITURLIN. 



The true Pheasants (Phasianus) are gallinaceous birds with a 

 very long, pointed, and much graduated tail of eighteen feathers. 

 Their splendid plumage is so much alike in general appearance 

 (although variable in details) and they interbreed so freely 

 in a semi-domestic state (as do many other gallinaceous 

 birds), that some eminent naturalists consider them all, or 

 nearly all, to be only climatic or local races of one species. 



But if our views on the taxonomic value of wild pure-bred 

 forms are not to be based chiefly on the study of semi-domestic 

 mongrels, we shall not share this view ; we shall not call 

 Ph. scintillans or Ph. versicolor of Japan a "local race" 

 of Ph. colchicus, as Japanese and Caucasian birds in a wild 

 state most certainly do not interbreed or " frequently merge 

 into one another." 



I will take here, as in other cases, for good species such 

 forms as iu their wild state do not intergrade with their 

 allies, and for subspecies or geographical races such as, 

 being on the whole quite recognisable and occupying geo- 

 graphically distinct areas, nevertheless do intergrade, as a 

 rule, with closely allied forms. 



To describe each form minutely would occupy too much 

 space ; but a synoptical table of the adult males of the 

 Phasiani may, I think, be useful. 



Genus Phasianus. 



I. Head coppery reddish brown ; central tail- 

 feathers with very wide-set bars. 



A. Scapulars, lower back, and rump streaked 



with golden yellow ; broad bars of the 



tail rusty chestnut, gradually darkening [(p. 412). 



to brown 32. soemmerrinyi 



B. Scapulars, lower back, and rump streaked 



with white ; broad bars of the tail half 



white, dotted with black 33. scintillans (p. 412)- 



C. Scapulars with narrow purplish-black 



edges; lower back and rump pure white. 34. ijinue (p. 413). 

 SER. VIII. VOL. IV. 2E 



