26 BIRD GALLERY. 



[Case 13.] The Koklass Pheasants (Pucrasia) include half-a-dozen species found 

 in various parts of the Himalaya, Tibet, and China. Tlie males have a 

 much longer crest than the females, and the feathers behind the ears 

 are greatly developed, forming two long tufts surpassing the crest in 

 length. The Common Koklass Pheasant (P. macrolopha) (113) is 

 common in the Western Himalaya from Kumaon to Chamba, and 

 generally found singly or in pairs. Its flesh is said to be superior 

 to that of every other Hill-Pheasant. 



The Fire-backed Pheasants, represented by two small groups each 

 containing three species, are natives of the dense damp evergreen 

 forests of the Indo-Malayan countries, Sumatra, and Borneo. Of the 

 forms without a crest an example will be found in the Bornean Crest- 

 less Fireback (Acomus pyronotus) (114). The females in this genus 

 are remarkable for their entirely black plumage and from the fact 

 that their legs are armed with a pair of strong spurs as perfectly 

 developed as those of the male. 



Two examples of the crested form are exhibited, the Malayan 

 Crested Fire-back {Lophura rvfa) (116) and Diard's Fire-back 

 [L. diardi) (116), both remarkably handsome species. The males are 

 provided with a pair of strong spurs, but t4ie females are devoid of 

 these weapons. 



The great Eared- Pheasants [Crossoptilon) {Wl , 118) are inhabitants 

 of the high wooded mountains of Tibet and China, ascending to a 

 height of about 13,000 feet above sea-level. They are sociable in their 

 habits, and during the autumn and winter are generally met with in 

 large flocks. Like the Common Pheasant, they pass most of their time 

 on the ground searching for seeds, roots, and insects, and at night 

 roost in company on the pine-trees. The legs of the male are armed 

 Avith short stout spurs, and, unlike the majority of the Pheasants, the 

 plumage is alike in both sexes. The feathers forming the ear-coverts 

 are much lengthened and pure white in all the five species known. 



A remarkable Bornean species will be seen in Bulwer's Wattled 

 Pheasant [Lobiophasis bulweri) (119). The male has the head almost 

 devoid of feathers and ornamented with three pairs of blue wattles, and 

 the beautiful white tail is composed of no less than 32 feathers, by 

 far the largest number found in any Game-Bird. The female has 

 28 tail-feathers, or two pairs less, and the head is feathered and not 

 ornamented with wattles. This species has only been met with in 

 the lower mountain-forests of Sarawak, and it is essentially a ground 

 bird, and seldom seen on the wing. 

 [Case 14.] Of the Moonal Pheasants {Lophophorus) four different species are 

 known, all being natives of the elevated forests of the Himalaya or 

 Western China. In all, the plumage of the males is magnificent, but 



