SYRRHAPTES. — PHASIANUS. 311 



Distribution in the British Islands. — An Irregular Visitor. 

 The first great visitation occurred in May 1863, and spread 

 over almost the whole of the British Islands. Again, in 1888 

 enormous numbers visited our shores and are known to have 

 bred in Yorkshire and Elginshire. In other years, since 

 1859, smaller flocks have been observed. The species has 

 not succeeded in establishing itself permanently. 



General Distribution. — Pallas' Sand-Grouse breeds from 

 the Kirghiz Steppes and Turkestan, throughout Mongolia, 

 to north China. Periodically great immigrations take place, 

 when immense numbers move westwards, extending to the 

 western shores of Europe. 



Order GALLIFORMES. 



Family PHASIANIDJi:. 



Genus PHASIANUS Linnwus, Syst. Nat. 1758, p. 158. 

 Type : P. colcldcus Linn. 



Phdsuhins = ipaniavoe, the Phasian Bird, in Aristophanes ; from the river 

 Phasis, in Golohis, whence it is said to have been first brought by the Argo- 

 nautic expedition. 



Phasianus COlchicus. Pheasant. 



Phasianus colchicus Linnceus, Syst. Nat. 1758, p. 158 : 



Colchis. 



Phasianus colchicus Linn. ; B. O. IT. List, 1st ed. 1883, p. 141 ; 

 Offilvie- Grant, Cat. Birds B. M. xxii. 1893, p. 320: 

 Saunders, Manual, 2nd ed. 1899, p. 499. 



Colchicus = of Colchis, a province of Asia east of the Black Sea, now Min- 

 grelia, through which the river Phasis, now Biou, flows. 



Distribution in the British Islands. — Introduced at some 

 remote period, probably by the Romans. The earliest certain 

 record of its existence in England is to bo found in an ancient 

 manuscript drawn up by King Harold a.d. 1059 : in Scotland 

 it is first mentioned in Old Scots Acts dated June 8, 1594 ;. 



