GALLINACE. S54 
the greatest resemblance to our Domestic Cotk. The aeitey 
Phas. varius, Shaw, Nat., Misc., 353; Ajamalds; Gall. furcatus, 
Tem. Col. 374, is black, with a cupreous-green neck, speckled 
with black; the crest entire, and a small kind of dewlap, with-. 
out lateral wattles. 
PHEASANTS, properly so called, 
Have a long cuneiform tail, each of its quills being inclined on two 
planes, and covering each other. The most common, 
P. coichicus, L.3 Enl., 121, and 122 (The Common Pheasant 
of Europe), was ae into Europe by the Argonauts, as it is 
said, from the banks of the Phasis. «It is now spread through- 
out all temperate Europe, where it requires, however, a great 
deal of care. The head and neck of the male are of a deep 
green, with two small tufts on the occiput; the rest of the plu- 
mage is of a golden fawn colour, speckled with green. The fe- 
male is brownish, speckled and variegated with a darker brown. 
China has lately furnished us with three other species, which, 
with the Peacock, form the ornaments of our aviaries, viz. 
Ph. torquatus, which scarcely differs from the common one, 
except in having a brilliant white spot on each side of the neck. 
Ph. nycthemerus, L.* (The Silver Pheasant.) White, with 
' very fine blackish lines on each Apatiien) ae the belly entirely 
© black. 
ay 
Ph. pictus, L. Enl. 217. (The Golden Pitas So remark- 
able for its magnificent plumage; the belly i is of a bright red; a 
beautiful crest of a golden colour hangs from the head; the neck 
is clothed with a collerette of orange, speckled with black; the 
‘upper part of the back is green, the lower part of the rump 
yellow; the wings red, with a beautiful blue spot; the tail very 
long, brown, spotted with grey, &c. It appears to me that 
Pliny’s description of the Phenix, lib. x, cap. 2, was taken from 
this beautiful bird. 
The females of all these species have shorter tails than the 
males, and the plumage variously marked with different shades 
of grey or brown.(1) 
One of the most singular of all birds i is, 
Ph. Argus, L.; L’Argus, Vieill., Galer., pl. cciii. (The 
Argus.) A Ree Pheasant from the south of Asia, whose head 
and neck are nearly naked. The tarsi are without spurs; a very 
long tail to the male; the secondary quills of the wings exces- 
sively elongated, widened, and covered throughout with ocel- 
Se ee EEE TERE EC a a) 
(1) Add the Fuisan versicolor,—Phas. Diardi, Tem., discovered by Messrs Di- 
ard and Duvaucel, Vieill. Gal. pl. ccv. 
