540 



MRS. B. HAIG THOMAS OX 



generation the female plnmage of liis species, under the following 

 scheme of mating : — 



Silver ? X Swiuhoe S 



F. 1 ? X Swiiilioo (? 



(1) F. 2 ? S\v. (1) S Sw. (3) c? S\v. liyb. 



It is to be observed that the Swinhoe male transmitted the 

 pure Swinhoe plumage only to one of his male offspring. As 

 siich an isolated inst:ince, though interesting, had small value 

 without the support of other evidence, the following experiment 

 ■was ari'anged. I chose species which have matui-e phnnnge in 

 five months from hatching, so as to get quicker nt the i-esults, 

 instead of, as in the case of genna'ns, waiting eighteen montlis 

 for the adult plumnge of F. 2. P/iaslanHf! f(y)'7)iosus, one of the 

 species selected, is found only on tlie Island of Fonnosa ; somewhat 

 resembling P. torquatus, it differs from it in one special feature ; 

 in the cock, the collar, instead of being an even white I'ing 

 forming a complete circle round the neck, is formed by a deep 

 Vandyke on each side with a narrow connecting-line round the 

 back of the neck but not connected round the throat, an incomplete 

 circle. The other species, P. versicolor, the Japanese Phensnnt, is 

 too Avell known to require description ; it has no white collar. 



Below is appended a, tiible of the differences between the males 

 a,nd females of the two species which might be expected to prove 

 Mendelian pairs. 



P. versicolor S • 

 Moult: Slow, late. 



Leff : 



Colour : I1:ivlr, inUlisli grey. 



Dimension : Thin. 

 Rill : Small. 



Crest : Dark. 



Breast : Metallic green. 

 Tail : Short. 



Some laterals not banded. 





P.formosus 6 



Moult : 



Rapid, early. 



Leff: 

 Colour: Pale bluish grey 

 Dimension: Thick. 



Bill: 



Large. 



Crest : 



Pale. 



Breast : 



Rich brown. 



Tail: 



All 



Long, 

 rectrices banded. 



Neck: 



White collar. 



Bird; 



Large. 



P. formostis 5 . 

 Leff : 

 Colour : Pale bluish grej'. 

 Dimension : Thick. 



Bill: 



Colour 



Crest : 



Breast : 

 Tail: 



Bird: 



Egg: 



Large. 

 Greyish 



gape. 

 Pale ground, black 



spots. 



Pale bufl", no pattern. 

 Banded pattern on 



ground. 

 Large. 

 Large. 



green, paler at 

 oval 



pale 



Calm temperament : quiet, tame. 



Neck 

 Bird : 



Lea- : 

 Colour 



White collar absent. 

 Small. 



P. versicolor 



2 



Reddish grey. 



Dimension: Tbin 



Small. 



Darker greyish green, same 



all over. 

 Dark ground, irregular 



black jiatclu's. 



Dark buti; thickly patterned. 

 Banded pattern on dark 



ground. 

 Small. 

 Small. 



Excitable temperament: wild, untame- 

 able. 



Bill : 



Colour 



Crest ; 



Breast 

 Tail: 



Bird : 



E.VO-: 



