162 A MONOGRAPH OF THE PHEASANTS 



CROSSOPTILON 



Type. 

 Crossoptilon Hodgson, Jour. Asiatic Soc, Bengal, VII. 1838, p. 864 . . C. tibetanum. 



There has been much bungling in the research work upon this group, due both to 

 erroneous observation of skin characters and lack of comparison of specimens in various 

 museums. There seems good reason for supposing that instead of five there are but 

 three species, and two of these may ultimately prove to be related subspecifically. 



The three forms, which are confined to the mountains and highlands of eastern and 

 central China and Tibet, are as follows — 



Brown Eared-pheasant Crossoptilon mantchuricum Svvinhoe. 



Blue Eared-pheasant „ auritum (Fall.). 



White Eared-pheasant „ tibetanum (Hodgs.). 



The general colouring of brown, blue, and white will serve as a key to distinguish 

 the three species, while the cocks possess stout spurs and the hens are spurless. 



