PHASIANUS. 



73 



tipped white. Tail long," barred and blotched; below dusky. — Female: Ee- 

 sembles male, but more closely marked. Back minutely mottled. Chin plain. 

 Throat and breastrfeathers yellowish, centred dark brown. Above, the dusky 

 oval spots are separated by the white shaft. 



Found from Khatmandu to Chamba at from 4,000 to 10,000 feet. Breeds 

 from April to June. Nine to fourteen eggs (2-13 x 1-5), pale stone colour, 

 slightly speckled. (J. 809. B. 1333. 0. 60.) 



R. Le M., Mussoorie, 1864. 



Also the genus Chrysolophus, the Golden Pheasants with tail longer than wing in both sexes. 

 Tail eighteen feathers, vaulted, and mid pair very long. Males with full crest of heavy feathers, 

 and a cape-like development of erectile feathers. Pair of spurs. Two species, viz. — 



0. pictus. S 40". ? 24". The Golden Pheasant. Deemed by Cuvier to be the type of 

 Phcenix of the ancients. Crown, crest, and rump golden. Cape-like feathers, orange, tipped 

 black. Eye-ring entirely feathered. Breast crimson. Mid-tail black, with rounded, pale 

 brown spots. — Female: Head and mantle brown, barred black and buff. Lower back and 

 rump pale brown, mottled black. S. and W. China. Eggs (1-75 x 1-35) creamy buff. Hybrids 

 with the Bantam, the Common and Reeves' Pheasant. 



C obscurus. A domestic variety of Golden Pheasant, differing from C. pictus in having 

 mid- tail pale brown, obliquely barred, and marked black. 



C. amTterstix. 50". Lady Amherst's Pheasant. Top of head bronze-green, crest blood-red. 

 cape-like feathers, white. Eye-ring naked and coloured blue. Breast white, barred black on 

 flanks. Mid-tail white, with black bars on both webs. W. China and E. Tibet. Eggs 

 (1-8 X 1-4) pale buff. (O.G. ii. 45-47.) A male bird of this species was recently shot in the 

 Myitkyina or the Bhamo district. (0. ii. 497.) 



Genus PHASIANUS. 



P7idsldnus=^a(n.av6s, the Phasian bird in Aristophanes ; from the River Fhasis, in Colchis, 

 whence it is said to have been first brought by the Argonautic expedition. 



True Pheasants. Tail longer than wing in both sexes, eighteen feathers, long 

 and wedge-shaped. Wing exceptional, as first flight-feather is considerably longer 

 than tenth. No crest. Males have lengthened ear-tufts, facial skin naked red, 

 and a spur on each tarsus. Range from Eastern Europe to Japan. Not repre- 



