Chapter XXIX. 



PHEASANTS.— CCo«^m»e(f. ) 



Thetrue pheasants are proportionally as well represented 

 in China as the family in general. We have Reeves's and 

 Elliot's pheasants, Pkasiaiius decoUatiis, P. Sladetii. the 

 Formosan pheasant, and our ever welcome and well known 

 bird, P. Torquatus. A few words respecting each of these will 

 not be out of place, and we will take them in the order 

 given. 



P. Reevesii, or the Reeves's pheasant, is in some respects 

 the gem of the genus. When it is remembered that our 

 ordinary pheasant rarely reaches a total length of three feet 

 notwithstanding its fairly liberal allowance of tail, it will at 

 once be seen that the Reeves with an extreme length of eight 

 feet or more must be a noticeable bird. It is mainly in the 

 tail that the difference lies. Only the two central feathers 

 have this unusual length, the others being comparable in 

 that respect with those of the common species. But it is 

 not in measurement only that the Reeves pheasant deserves 

 attention. He is a strikingly handsome bird. Head all white 

 but for a patch of scarlet round the eye, and a black line 

 leading to the poll, and there joining a glossy gorget of the 

 same colour. The back is resplendent in yellow feathers 

 with rich velvety black edgings. The primaries and wing 

 coverts suggest the tints of the common pheasant, though 

 there are some snowy white markings on the under parts 

 mingled with the same rich black which adorns the back. 

 The tail with its groundwork is beautifully barred with tints 

 of light and dark bro>vn. It is.a pity that one has first of all 

 to get amongst the hills of X. W. China, Szechwan, or the 

 high border lands adjoining the Himalayas before one can 

 meet with so charming a creature. There it loves the hill- 

 sides, where cover is abundant. Like other pheasants, 

 P. Reevesii is a polygamous bird, and consequently pug- 

 nacious. Readers of old works on ornitholgy should remember 

 that he is variously described therein as P. superbus, 

 P. veneratus, or the barred-tailed pheasant. There is a 

 specimen in the Shanghai Museum, but the best I have ever 

 seen werein.Mr.Styan's collection once exhibited in Shanghai 

 many years ago. He had some excellent skins. 



