GAME BIRDS OF INDIA AND ASIA. 35 



and readily taking wing. The cock varies a good 

 deal in colour, black, white and pied varieties, and 

 others with the copper on the neck replaced by 

 steel-blue having been recorded. The last-named 

 has been described as a distinct species under the 

 name of Lophofhorus mantoui. 



The Bronze-backed Monaul. 



Lophophorus impeyanus, Faun. Brit. Ind., 

 Birds, Vol. IV, p. 97. 



The male of this species resembles the last in 

 size and form, but differs in having the lowei back 

 bronze and purple instead of white, and the under- 

 parts glossed with green instead of being jet black. 

 The hen is not known, and only a very few of the 

 other sex have been obtained, all in Chamba, 

 south-east of Kashmir. 



It seems, from an account by Major G. S. 

 Rodon, in the Journal of the Bombay Natural 

 History Society, that the native shikaries of the 

 locality say that this form is merely a ' ' sport ' ' 

 from the common Monaul, which likewise occurs 

 there. Considering the proneness of the common 

 species to variation, and the unlikelihood of two 

 species of pheasants, differing only in colour, re- 

 maining distinct in the same district, I am strongly 

 inclined to think that their account is correct, and 

 that the Bronze-backed Monaul, like the Black- 

 winged Peacock, is not a true species, though 

 excellently exemplifying a variation from which a 

 species may arise. The subject is one which would 

 well repay investigation, and I hope that anyone 

 who may be living in Chamba will look out for a 



