404 MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON NEW PHEASANTS. [June 9, 
the tip. Abdomen brownish black. Under tail-coverts red. Central 
tail-feathers rufous brown, with short narrow black bars next the 
shaft, but not on the same line on both webs, and continued across 
the web by a bar of chestnut joining the black. Outer webs of lateral 
feathers similar; inner webs light brown, mottled with black, and 
barred at regular intervals with the same colour. Bill yellowish horn- 
colour. Feet and tarsi greyish. 
Total length from base of bill to tail 16 inches ; wings 9 inches ; 
tail about 15 inches, bill, culmen 1j in., at gape 14 in.; tarsus 23 
in. ; middle toe 2 in. 
Hab. Yarkand, Eastern Turkestan. 
This interesting species appears to be very common in Yarkand, as 
Mr. Shaw states that he shot many of them, and, indeed, mistook it 
for the common Phasianus colehicus. To one who had not been 
accustomed to examine Pheasants at all critically this conclusion would 
be a very natural one, although the P. shawii differs in almost every 
respect from the better-known species. It is one of the most in- 
teresting discoveries yet made among the gallinaceous birds, af- 
fording links in the chain of descent, connecting the various species 
of true Phasianus together, which were heretofore entirely wanting. 
There is strong reason to believe that this new form of P. shawii is 
the original stock (looking at the subject in a Darwinian point of 
view) from which all the known species of Phastanus have sprung. 
By the newly discovered forms of P. sladeni, Andersson MS., from the 
province of Yun-nan, it would appear to exhibit the direction towards 
P. versicolor, and through Mr. Swinhoe’s P. decollatus to the true 
P. torquatus, as known to ornithologists. On the other hand, by 
the next species, P. insignis, it bears off to P. mongolicus ; and it 
would require only a few degrees of change for it to be merged in 
P. colchicus. Of course this is theoretical at present, as some ne- 
cessary localities, from which we can naturally expect to receive other 
new forms supplying the remaining links still required are yet un- 
explored ; but if we are to suppose that all true Pheasants have but 
one origin or source, all the information which has thus far been 
gathered upon the subject apparently leads us to the belief that 
the form now designated as P. shawit will have to be accepted as 
the one from which all the rest have sprung. 
The species is a very handsome one, and peculiar from the almost 
uniform golden-yellow hue of the upper parts, and would be a most 
desirable acquisition, together with the other species already obtained, 
to parks and preserves. 
Both the examples of this species, brought by Mr. Shaw, are males 
and precisely similar. The female is unknown. 
PHASIANUS INSIGNIS, Sp. nov. 
Mas. Colli plumis ad basin nigris, parte mediana saturate cas- 
tanea, apicibus latis nitenti-viridibus ; dorso toto et scapu- 
laribus letissime aureo-castaneis, fascia nigra una utrinque 
notatis, macula nitente viridi trianguiart conspicue punctatis, 
rhachidibus albis: dorso imo uropygioque saturate castaneis : 
