632 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIF. 



(= 457-2 mm.) to 23-5" (= 596-9 mm.). This, the longest I 

 have seen, is that of an nnsexed specimen in the Tring Museum. 

 It is an old bird with no sign of spurs, and is evidently a female. 



The ear-coverts in this species run up to 2-5" (= 63-5 mm.) or 

 even longer, whereas anything of 2" (= 50-8 mm.) in the white 

 forms is very exceptional. 



Chick. — Above very dark blackish brown, with central streaks 

 of buff and indefinite bars of rufous and brown ; the crown is dark 

 brown, not black ; on the upper back the slaty grey feathers are 

 appearing ; quills of wing mottled brown and dull rufous, below 

 dirty ashy, the slaty grey colour of the adult already showing en 

 the breast. Short tail in colour like that of the adult. 



Wing about 9" (= 228-6 mm.); the ear-coverts well developed 

 and over 1" (= 25-4 mm.). 



Orbital skin bright red ; bill much darker than in the adult, 

 maxilla almost black with reddish edges, mandible reddish horny. 

 The legs appear to have been dull horny red, brighter and redder 

 in front than behind. 



Distrihidion. — The Mountain Ranges of Western China, North- 

 West Szechuen, Kansu and the Koko Nor. 



Nidification. — Prjevalsky describes the eggs of these Pheasants 

 found in the Kansu and Alaskan Mountains as follows : — 



" The eggs of the present species resemble in shape those of 

 " the barn-door fowl, but are verj^ smooth and of a pale olive 

 "grey colour, without any spots; large diameter 2-16", small 

 "diameter 1-6" to 1-63"." 



I have two eggs of this Pheasant in my collection which were 

 laid by birds in the Zoological Gardens and purchased by me when 

 Bartlett's collection was broken up. 



In shape these eggs are rather long ovals, but little compressed 

 towards the smaller end. The texture is xqvj fine and close, the 

 surface having a distinct gloss and being exceedingl}^ smooth. In 

 colour they are a pale olive grey, and in this and in general appear- 

 ance are really nearer in appearance to ducks' than to fowls' eggs. 

 One egg which is slightly mis-shapen has also got numerous small 

 nodules on it round its centre, but these are obviouslj^ abnormalities. 



They measure 2-35" (59-6 mm.) x 1-6" (4-6 mm.) and 2-28" 

 (57-9 mm.) X 1-55" (39-3 mm.). 



There are also four eggs of this bird laid in captivity in the 

 Natural History Museum's Collection ; these agree well with those in 

 my own collection, but whilst two are y&cj similar in colour to mine, 

 the other two are more of a pale stone bu.ff without the olive tint. 

 ■ They measure between 2-22" (56-4 mm.) and 2-30" (58-4 mm.) 

 in length, and between 1-59" (40-4 mm.) and 1-62" (41-4 mm.) in 

 breadth; the average of all eight eggs is 2-24" x almost 1-60" 

 (56-9x40-6 mm.). 



