74 PHASIANUS. 



sented in Himalayas, but two species are found in Manipur and Burma. Crowns 

 green, or red-brown, or white. With no white neck-ring, or with traces of one, 

 or with white neck-ring. The ringed forms may be regarded as the northern, 

 and those without a neck-ring as the southern type. Lower back, rump, and 

 upper tail-coverts maroon glossed green on slate-grey, with nest-coloured patches 

 on each side (P. versicolor excepted). All maroon-rumped species are found W. 

 of about 90° E. long., while those with grey rumps are only found E. of this line. 

 Most of the Pheasants in England are hybrids between P. colehicus with maroon 

 rump and no neck-ring and P. torquatus with grey rump and white neck-ring. 

 The various species may be distinguished as under — 



A. With crown green. Lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts slate-grey, 



with rust-coloured patches on each side. , 



(i.) With no white neck-ring, or only traces of one. 

 17. Phasianus elegans. Stone's True Pheasant. 



$ 27J". 2 21". Legs lead colour. — Male: Head, neck, and breast dark 

 green. Mantle chestnut. Lower back and rump dark green, broadly edged with 

 grey. Upper tail-coverts greenish grey, with outermost on each side rusty red. 

 Tail rufous-brown, cross-barred black. Lower plumage steel-blue. — Female: 

 Above black, edged grey. Below buff, speckled and banded blackish. Tail rufous, 

 irregularly barred black. From Szechuen in S. China, Yunnan, and N. Shan 

 States. (B. 1332. 0. 61.) 



Also P. decollatus. S 34", ? 25". The Chinese Ringless Pheasant from W. China, similar 

 to P. torquatus, but the white ring is absent in typical examples, though some show traces of 

 a white ring. Crown of head and margins of breast-feathers dark green. Flank-feathers buff. 

 Chest orange-red. 



P. strauchi. S 36^". 9 23J". Chest and sides orange-red. N.W. Kansu. 



P. vlangalii. S SIJ". 9 22 J". Differs from P. elegans in having mantle and scapulars 

 sandy red. Sides and flanks golden. Tsaidam to Kokonor. 



P. versicolor. S 29". 9 24". The Japanese Pheasant. Below uniform dark green, and 

 no rust-red patches on sides of rump. Mantle dark green, with concentric lines of buff. 



(ii. ) With white neck-ring. 



P. torquatus. S 35". 9 24J". The Chinese Ring-necked Pheasant. Mantle and flanks 

 orange-buff. Scapulars margined Indian-red. From Lower Amoor to Canton. 



P. satscheunensis. Paler form of P. torquatus. Scapulars margined sandy brown. Chest 

 and below margined purple-green. Satsohen. 



P. formosanus. The Formosan Ring-necked Pheasant differs from P. torquatus in having 

 ground colour of mantle and flanks pale primrose. 



B. With crown green. Lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts maroon, glossed green. 



(iii.) With no white neck-ring, or only traces of one. 



P. colehicus. The Common Pheasant from Asia Minor. (J 37J". 9 244".— ifoZe-- Head 

 and neck dark green. Mantle, chest, breast, and flanks fiery orange, margined purplish green. 

 Below dark brown, mixed rufous. Tail olive, edged rufous, with narrow black bars wide set. — 

 Female: Sandy brown, barred black. Mantle, sides of breast and flanks chestnut, with black 

 centres and grey margins. Evidence tends to show that in a really wild state the genus 

 Phasianus is monogamous. Barren females generally assume male plumage. Eight to twelve 

 eggs (1-8 X 1-4), olive-brown or bluish green. 



P. talischensis. Intermediate between P. colehicus and P. persicus. Wing-coverts sandy 

 brown. Feathers of chest and breast narrowly margined purple. Talisoh, a district S.W. of 

 Caspian Sea. 



