KALEEGE PHEASANTS 5 



The tangle which has arisen about this genus centres in Burma, and, in a word, 

 the whole question resolves itself into whether the numerous forms which have been 

 described from that country are valid species and subspecies or only hybrids, the 

 naming of which might be continued indefinitely without benefit to the understanding 

 of the genus. 



In order even to begin to clear up the problem it is necessary to have a definite 

 starting-point, and for this I have chosen the Lineated Kaleege {G. lineatus). Geo- 

 graphically and pigmentally this species occupies a central position. From the point 

 of view of colour and pattern it is the most generalized of all the species, while its 

 uniformity over a considerable range leaves no doubt as to its right to true specific 

 recognition. The black and white on the upper plumage is broken up into fine 

 vermiculation, the two being about equal in extent, the specialized colour extremes 

 of solid whites and blacks being thus lacking. A further hint of its more general- 

 ized type is the superficial resemblance which it bears to the related tropical genera, 

 Acomus and Lophura. 



From this point, even a superficial survey of the genus shows two, and very 

 probably three, main lines of divergence. To the north and westward along the 

 Himalayan terai extends a succession of dark-feathered birds, in which the whites 

 are reduced or concentrated on certain limited portions of the plumage. From 

 east to west these are horsfieldi, melanonotus, leucofnelamis and albocri status. In 

 all four there is a small amount of variation, but, inter se, no actual crossing 

 has ever been recorded in a wild state, nor did most careful search and inquiry 

 on my part reveal a single instance. I have taken this up in detail in my mono- 

 graph descriptions, and there is no need to reproduce it here. 



It is important to note that the distinctions between the Himalayan Kaleege 

 Pheasants have been shown by Ghigi to behave in experimental crossing exactly as 

 though they have been derived by mutation, not blending as do the characters of 

 the Burmese birds. 



To the north-east of lineatus we find a second line of Gennaeus Pheasants, 

 of which the most widely distributed is nycthemems, the Silver Kaleege. On the 

 island of Hainan is an offshoot from this, whitekeadi, quite close to the typical 

 species, but, of course, worthy of specific recognition on account of its complete 

 geographic isolation. 



A third line, quite distinct from lineatus, is found to the south-east in Annam. 

 This is edwardsi, whose connection with lineatus, at least as a direct offshoot, is at 

 present somewhat obscure. It is known only from a few specimens from Annam, and 

 its rather close relationship with swinhoei is of great interest. The latter inhabits the 

 island of Formosa, and with its tropical, AcomusASk^ brilliance of colour differs much 

 from nycthemerus, the only species at present inhabiting south-east China. Edwardsi, 

 however, shows a very probable former derivation, less specialized, and much nearer 

 the supposed centre of origin. 



After carefully going over all the data available, I cannot see that there are any 

 other species worthy of recognition on grounds similar to the nine Kaleege I have 

 mentioned. 



Centring our attention again on Burma and the adjacent Chinese states, we 



