CROSSOPTILON 

 EARED-PHEASANTS 



FAMILY PHASIANIDAE 



Subfamily PHASIANINAE 



Genus CROSSOPTILON 



Even more than Catreus, the present genus stands alone, removed by many 

 characters from all others of the subfamily. Elliot considers it nearest to Impeyanus 

 and Pavo, on account of the heavy mandibles and feet or the disintegration of plumage. 

 Other authors place it after Lobiophasis, probably on account of the unusually large 

 number of tail-feathers. Owing to the Phasianine mode of tail moult I have included 

 it in this subfamily, but with the realization that only an actual tree-like classifica- 

 tion, ramifying through the three planes of space, could show its real affinities. In 

 any event, the Eared-pheasants are a most interesting group and well worthy of 

 detailed study. 



The Eared-pheasants are in general coloration brown, blue or white, with partly 

 iridescent and semi-disintegrated tail-feathers. These are numerous, numbering twenty 

 to twenty-four in the adult, all being large, broad, rounded, and the central ones 

 drooping, with long, free webs, and twice as long as the outer pair. 



The I St primary is much shorter than the 2nd, which is equal in length to the 9th 

 or loth ; the 5th or 6th is the longest of the series. 



The top of the head is covered with short, soft, curly feathers, velvet-like in texture. 

 The ear-coverts are much elongated, being produced into long, white, upward curved 

 tufts of rather stiff feathers on each side of the head. The remainder of the plumage is 

 dense, long, and rather hairy. 



Sides of the face bare, reddish and covered with small papillae. The sexes are 

 alike, except that the males possess a pair of short, stout spurs. The tarsus is con- 

 siderably longer than the middle toe and claw. 



The brownish hues of the immature birds are found in the adult plumage of one 



species, while in another this hue alters to a slate blue. This in turn is found to give 



way more and more to white until the acme of colour evolution is found in the almost 



pure white Tibetan Eared-pheasant. 



Y 161 



