MEYER'S KOKLASS PHEASANT 



Pucrasia xanthospila meyeri Madarasz 



Name.— Specific : meyeri, named after Dr. A. B. Meyer, Director of the Dresden Museum. 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION 



This form of Koklass has been recorded from Central Tibet, and from Yerkalo, on 

 the Mekong River, almost at the junction of Szechuan, Tibet and Yunnan. 



GENERAL ACCOUNT 



I have seen three xanthospila from Szechuan which vary so markedly in the 

 direction of this bird that I do not feel it deserves more than subspecific distinction. 

 Oustalet also classes with this form Koklass Pheasants observed near Tatsienlu, by the 

 Prince of Orleans. 



The cock may, in a word, be said to be xanthospila with the tail-feathers of 

 macrolopha. This being the case, I have not figured it. We know nothing of it, 

 beyond the knowledge which the several known skins have given us. 



The type is in the Hungarian National Museum. 



DETAILED DESCRIPTION 



Adult Male. — Centre of crown black, with brown tips increasing in extent until 

 the very long, slender crest of the hind crown is all brown. The still longer posterior 

 feathers springing from the occiput are black, with the margins glossed with steel blue, 

 as are the feathers of the forehead, face and side crown, the ear-coverts, hind neck, chin, 

 and throat being bluish green. A large patch of white begins just below the ear- 

 coverts and extends downward and backward on the side neck, separating the metallic 

 plumage of the side throat from the hind neck. A well-marked wide collar of pale 

 yellow buff extends around the sides and hind neck, the tinge dying out on the mantle. 



The type of the dorsal plumage is that of xanthospila, but clearer, a wide pinkish- 

 grey shaft-stripe separating two still wider black lateral bands, the remaining narrow 

 margin being grey. This is the pattern of the entire body, above and below, except for 

 the central ventral line, from the iridescent throat to the lower belly, which is rich 

 chestnut. 



The colours of the wing-coverts are less clear and distinct, the grey being mottled 

 and clouded with buff and dark brown. The inner secondaries are dark brown, mottled 

 on the inner web with rufous, and on the outer web and margin with greyish buff. The 



38 



