KALEEGE PHEASANTS 5 
The tangle which has arisen about this genus centres in Burma, and, in a word, 
the whole question resolves itself into whether the numerous forms which have been 
described from that country are valid species and subspecies or only hybrids, the 
naming of which might be continued indefinitely without benefit to the understanding 
of the genus. 
In order even to begin to clear up the problem it is necessary to have a definite 
starting-point, and for this I have chosen the Lineated Kaleege (G. “imeatus). Geo- 
graphically and pigmentally this species occupies a central position. From the point 
of view of colour and pattern it is the most generalized of all the species, while its 
uniformity over a considerable range leaves no doubt as to its right to true specific 
recognition. The black and white on the upper plumage is broken up into fine 
vermiculation, the two being about equal in extent, the specialized colour extremes 
of solid whites and blacks being thus lacking. A further hint of its more general- 
ized type is the superficial resemblance which it bears to the related tropical genera, 
Acomus and Lophura. 
From this point, even a superficial survey of the genus shows two, and very 
probably three, main lines of divergence. To the north and westward along the 
Himalayan terai extends a succession of dark-feathered birds, in which the whites 
are reduced or concentrated on certain limited portions of the plumage. From 
east to west these are 4orsfieldi, melanonotus, leucomelanus and albocristatus. In 
all four there is a small amount of variation, but, zzfer se, no actual crossing 
has ever been recorded in a wild state, nor did most careful search and inquiry 
on my part reveal a single instance. I have taken this-up in detail in my mono- 
graph descriptions, and there is no need to reproduce it here. 
It is important to note that the distinctions between the Himalayan Kaleege 
Pheasants have been shown by Ghigi to behave in experimental crossing exactly as 
though they have been derived by mutation, not blending as do the characters of 
the Burmese birds. 
To the north-east of /neatus we find a second-line of Gennaeus Pheasants, 
of which the most widely distributed is uycthemerus, the Silver Kaleege. On the 
island of Hainan is an offshoot from this, whzfeheadi, quite close to the typical 
species, but, of course, worthy of specific recognition on account of its complete 
geographic isolation. 
A third line, quite distinct from “xeatus, is found to the south-east in Annam. 
This is edwardsz, whose connection with /xeafus, at least as a direct offshoot, is at 
present somewhat obscure. It is known only from a few specimens from Annam, and 
its rather close relationship with swzwhoez is of great interest. The latter inhabits the 
island of Formosa, and with its tropical, 4comus-like brilliance of colour differs much 
from zycthemerus, the only species at present inhabiting south-east China. Edwards?, 
however, shows a very probable former derivation, less specialized, and much nearer 
the supposed centre of origin. 
After carefully going over all the data available, I cannot see that there are any 
other species worthy of recognition on grounds similar to the nine Kaleege I have 
mentioned. . 
Centring our attention again on Burma and the adjacent Chinese states, we 
