GENNAEUS 

 KALEEGE PHEASANTS 



Family PHASIANIDAE 



Subfamily PHASIANINAE 



Genus GENNAEUS 



This group is the largest component of the old genus Euplocamus, which 

 formerly included Diardigallus, Lophura and Acomus. It seems to me to 

 consist of two well-marked subgenera, Gennaeus and Hierophasis, the former with 

 seven species, the latter with two. The species most familiar to those who keep 

 pheasants or have opportunity of visiting collections is doubtless the Silver Pheasant, 

 or Kaleege. One of the native names throughout the East .is Kaleege or Kalij, and 

 I have chosen to use this to characterize the pheasants of this genus. 



The least specialized type of Kaleege Pheasant is quite fowl-like, especially as to 

 shape of body and carriage of the tail, the latter consisting of sixteen feathers, 

 laterally compressed. These are strongly graduated in order from without inward, 

 the central pair being the longest, and at least three times the length of the outer- 

 most. There is great variation in the actual and relative length of the tail as a 

 whole. 



The sexes are very dissimilar in colour, and both have crests usually long and 

 flowing {Gennaeus), rarely short, lying close to the head {Hierophasis). In the birds 

 with long crests, these may end in a point, or else be diffuse, covering the nape 

 and hind neck. The crest is usually disintegrated. In the subgenus Hierophasis 

 many of the contour feathers tend to convexity at the tip. Aside from this, there 

 is no specialization of feather structure. 



The bill is moderately stout, strong and curved, being used as a pecking organ 

 in assisting the scratching function of the feet. The face is entirely bare, the skin 

 being covered with finger-like papillae, and showing a tendency to the formation of 

 three pairs of free wattles, one in front of and above the eye, the second back of 

 the eye at the side of the occiput, and the third at the gape. In related genera 

 these are carried to the point of highest development in Lobiophasis. The ist 

 primary is considerably shorter than the 2nd, which is equal to the 9th or loth ; 



