114 



DR. P. L. SCLATER ON THE 



[April 21, 



parts of the world, who are desirous of knowing what Pheasants the 

 Society already possesses, and what would be the most desirable addi- 

 tions that could be made to the present stock in the Gardens. Under 

 these circumstances I have drawn up the subjoined list of all the 

 species of the family PhasianidcB, as far as they are known to me, 

 adding some remarks on the general history of the species, and 

 notes on their exact geographical distribution, as far as that can 

 be ascertained. 



The family Fhasianidce is one of the most typical of the circum- 

 scribed order Gallince, which, according to the arrangement usually 

 followed, is conveniently placed between the Columbce, on the one 

 hand, and the Striithions birds on the other. It consists, accord- 

 ing to my ideas, of six natural and tolerably well-defined families, 

 — namely (1) the PierocUdeB, or Sand-Grouse, which may be placed 

 first, as showing certain Columbine affinities* ; (2) the Tetraonidce, 

 embracing the true Grouse, Partridges, Odontophores, and Quails ; 

 (3) the PhasianidtE, containing the Pheasants, Peacocks, Turkeys, 

 and Guinea-fowl ; (4) the Cracidcs, or Curassows of the New World, 

 to which the genus Meleagris leads off, and possibly ought to be 

 referred ; (5) the Megajiodidce, or Megapodes ; and (6) last, the 

 Tinamidcef, or Tinamous, by which the passage is effected to the 

 Struthiones. The geographical distribution of these families is shown 

 by the following table : — 



By this it will be seen that the true Phasianidee are only repre- 

 sented in the New World by the genus Meleagris, and in Africa by 

 three small genera of the Numidince, It is in the Indian region 

 where these Gallinaceous birds have attained their great development, 

 most of the large and splendid forms of the group being confined to 

 this region, though certain outliers have been thrown out from it 

 into the adjoining parts of the Palsearctic Region. 



The Phasianidee may be conveniently divided in the following 

 way : — 



♦ See Mr. Newton's remarks, P. Z. S. 1861, p. 203. 



t In spite of what Mr. Parker has stated hefore this Society, as to the undoubted 

 affinities of the Tinamous (see P. Z. S. 1862, p. 259), I cannot yet make up my 

 mind to arrange this group with the Struthiones, and therefore leave them for the 

 present at the end of the Gallinaceous group. 



