LOPHURA 

 CRESTED FIREBACK PHEASANTS 



Family PHASIANIDAE 

 Subfamily PHASIANINAE 



Genus LOPHURA 



The Crested Firebacks have often been placed in the same genus with the silver 

 pheasants, and indeed Swinhoe's pheasant bridges them rather closely, but the three 

 species of Lophura are so well marked, and their resemblances inter se are so pro- 

 nounced, that for convenience it seems much better to recognize them as a distinct 

 genus. The males are characterized by the shining iridescent feathers of the lower back 

 and rump, and by the elongated crest, the shafts bare at the base, the tips expanded into 

 a brush of hair-like barbs. The crest is less developed or absent in the females. 



The tail is quite long and composed of sixteen feathers, compressed laterally as in 

 the crestless firebacks and junglefowls. The third pair of rectrices is slightly longer 

 than the two central pairs and more than twice the length of the outer pair. The 5th 

 and 6th primaries are slightly the longest, the ist being shorter than the 2nd, which is 

 equal to the loth. A large bare area on the face may be red or blue, and a pair of gular 

 wattles is more or less highly developed. The tarsus is nearly twice as long as the 

 middle toe and claw. The males are armed with a pair of stout spurs, absent or very 

 small in the females. 



The term Lophura was proposed by Fleming in Philos. Zool. in the year 1822. 

 None of the subsequent generic synonyms call for comment save Diardigallus. This 

 was instituted by Bonaparte for the Siamese Fireback, and this bird has been considered 

 sufficiently distinct by a number of authors to be placed in a genus of its own. Any 

 decision in such an instance can only be made as logical as possible, reviewing the 

 relative distinctions and resemblances, the relation and value of characters of the bird 

 as a whole. The crest and fiery back seem in this case to outweigh the other colour and 

 pattern differences, although diardi is certainly well worthy of pronounced sub-generic 

 separation, if only on account of the rather unique female plumage. 



LOPHURA 



Lophura Fleming, Philos. Zool. II. 1822, p. 230 



Euplocomus Temm. (nee Latr., Lep. 1809) PI. Col. V. text to Lophophoriis, 1830, p. 3 

 J/i3:r«r/«^j'<3: Less., Traits d'Orn. i83i,p. 492 ..... 

 SpiciferYjA-y^"^, Das Thierreich, II. Theil I. 1836, p. 78 . 

 Lophalector Cab. in Ersch. u. Grub. Encycl. sec. 3, XXII, 1846, p. 146 

 Lophora Gray, Hand-list Birds, II. 1870, p. 259, No. 2378 

 Diardigallus Bonap. C. R, XLIII. 1856, p. 414 .... 



115 



Type. 

 L. igmta. 



L. diardi. 



