GAME BIRDS OF INDIA AND ASIA. 67 



Styan's Koklass. 



Pucrasia styani, Grant, Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club, XXIII, 



P- 32. 



Tliis species, from Ichang in Central China, has the under-parts 



streaked black and grey throughout, with no central belt of 



-chestnut like all the other species ; above it most resembles the 



last. The hen is not known. 



The Kaleeges form a large genus of pheasants 

 which are very easily recognisable. In all, both 

 sexes have a crest, and the sides of the face covered 

 with bare red skin, which, in the cocks at all events, 

 is extensible upwards and downwards. The tails 

 in aU the species are folded like that of a common 

 fowl, and in most of them are not much longer 

 than an ordinary hen's tail ; but in the males the 

 top feathers have a decided curve, and in some of 

 the species the tail is quite long in that sex. The 

 ■cocks are well spurred, and are hard fighters ; they 

 have a curious habit of buzzing with their wings 

 as a challenge. 



As sporting birds, the Kaleeges are not to be 

 commended. They won't rise- if they can possibly 

 help it, and as they live in jungle, can make their 

 arrangements for skulking in safety, and do so. 

 They do not range so high as the other pheasants, 

 and sometimes even inhabit the plains. 



To the naturalist some of the species are of the 

 highest interest, as they exhibit so many grada- 

 tions that it is doubtful how many kinds there 

 really are. This, however, is not encouraging 

 to the beginner who wishes to precisely identify 

 whatever birds he may get. It is very probable 

 that a good deal of interbreeding goes on, with the 

 natural' result of the production of a set of mon- 



