CHAPTER XVI J I. 



IMlEASAiXTS ADAI'TE]) TO THE A VI ART 



THE GOLDEN PHEASANT (TUATMALEA 

 PICT A). 



Pli" j\I( JNlrST the Lirds that are reared in uiir aviaries on 

 \ 

 \\ ac(_'()niit of the lieauty of tlieir jilmiiiiu'c the two 

 species ot the genus Uminiuiliii oecu|)\' a very 

 3jjj|3 ])roiniiuMit ]iositioii. These birds havc^ l)eeii separated 



K" from tlie more typical pheasants (whicli li.'ive been 

 already descriliiMl as constituting the restricted genus 

 Phasianiis) l)y scvei-al well-marked characters^ the most 

 conspicuous of whicli are the presence of a. crest of silkv 

 feathers iin the crown of the head, and a tipp''t of fjixiad flat 

 feathers encircling the iinper part of the neck. The (iolden 

 Plieasant {I'lia inimlcu jnctit) has lieeu hnig known m captivity 

 in Europe; it was descrihed liy Ijmnaais under the name of 

 PlidKutiiiib' jiicIk.s in I7<>li, l)un uf its habits in its native 

 country nothing wha.tever had lieen ascei-tained ; even its 

 exact locality was doubtful until more recent exphiratioiis in 

 Clinia.. It is now known t(;i inhabit the mountains of the 

 western central disti'icts, ami it has been slmt b\- I'hii'opeaus 

 on the banks of the Yang-tsze, fine hundred miles north of 

 Hankow. In the north of China it is, accuriliug to Pt^re 

 David, (piite unknown. 



In its mature ]>lnniage the male is one (if the most gorgeous 

 of the whole tribe. The head is ornamented with a long crest 

 of silky orange-coloured feathers. This extends backwards 



