﻿KASHMIR 
  KOKLASS 
  PHEASANT 
  

  

  Pucmsia 
  macrolopha 
  biddulphi 
  Marshall 
  

  

  Names. 
  — 
  Specific 
  : 
  biddulphi, 
  after 
  the 
  discoverer 
  of 
  the 
  form, 
  Major 
  John 
  Biddulph. 
  English 
  : 
  Kashmir 
  

   or 
  Biddulph's 
  Koklass. 
  Native 
  : 
  Plas 
  (Kashmir). 
  

  

  Brief 
  DESCRIPTION. 
  — 
  Male 
  : 
  Similar 
  to 
  the 
  Common 
  Koklass 
  (P. 
  macrolopha 
  macrolopha), 
  but 
  with 
  the 
  

   chestnut 
  of 
  the 
  fore 
  neck 
  continued 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  completely 
  over 
  the 
  hind 
  neck, 
  forming 
  a 
  nearly 
  or 
  quite 
  complete 
  

   collar. 
  The 
  chestnut 
  of 
  the 
  lower 
  plumage 
  is 
  usually 
  darker, 
  and 
  mixed 
  with 
  black. 
  Female 
  : 
  Similar 
  to 
  the 
  

   female 
  of 
  the 
  Common 
  Koklass. 
  

  

  Range.— 
  Kashmir. 
  

  

  GENERAL 
  DISTRIBUTION 
  

  

  This 
  form 
  has 
  been 
  found 
  in 
  suitable 
  localities 
  quite 
  widely 
  distributed 
  in 
  Kashmir, 
  

   as 
  far 
  in 
  the 
  north-west 
  as 
  Gilgit. 
  Specimens 
  from 
  that 
  locality 
  approach 
  castanea, 
  

   while 
  toward 
  the 
  east 
  it 
  grades 
  evenly 
  into 
  macrolopha. 
  

  

  GENERAL 
  ACCOUNT 
  

  

  This 
  form 
  would 
  seem 
  hardly 
  deserving- 
  of 
  even 
  subspecific 
  distinction, 
  were 
  it 
  not 
  

   that 
  there 
  does 
  seem 
  to 
  be 
  a 
  node 
  of 
  static 
  radiation 
  in 
  Kashmir, 
  where 
  one 
  finds 
  many 
  

   individuals 
  of 
  fairly 
  close 
  resemblance. 
  There 
  is, 
  however, 
  a 
  complete 
  gradation 
  from 
  

   macrolopha 
  on 
  the 
  east, 
  to 
  castanea 
  on 
  the 
  west. 
  The 
  distinguishing 
  characters 
  are 
  found 
  

   only 
  in 
  the 
  males, 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  extreme 
  phase 
  of 
  development 
  they 
  show 
  the 
  chestnut 
  

   of 
  the 
  ventral 
  surface 
  decidedly 
  darker, 
  more 
  maroon, 
  while 
  there 
  is 
  a 
  distinct 
  black 
  

   margin 
  to 
  all 
  these 
  feathers, 
  and 
  the 
  black 
  encroaches 
  from 
  the 
  base, 
  and 
  thus 
  limits 
  the 
  

   maroon. 
  In 
  some 
  individuals, 
  indeed, 
  the 
  maroon 
  on 
  the 
  lower 
  breast 
  becomes 
  reduced 
  

   to 
  a 
  very 
  inconspicuous 
  terminal 
  shaft-streak. 
  In 
  these 
  birds 
  the 
  chestnut 
  on 
  the 
  tail 
  is 
  

   replaced 
  by 
  rufous 
  buff. 
  

  

  In 
  addition, 
  this 
  maroon 
  colour 
  (still 
  holding 
  its 
  darkened 
  hue) 
  extends 
  clear 
  around 
  

   the 
  back 
  of 
  the 
  neck 
  in 
  the 
  form 
  of 
  a 
  narrow, 
  but 
  irregularly 
  pointed 
  (owing 
  to 
  the 
  

   lanceolate 
  shape 
  of 
  the 
  feathers) 
  collar 
  of 
  dark 
  red. 
  

  

  No 
  other 
  constant 
  characters 
  are 
  apparent, 
  and 
  the 
  females 
  are 
  identical. 
  

  

  These 
  individuals 
  are 
  variable 
  to 
  the 
  highest 
  degree. 
  In 
  some, 
  almost 
  the 
  entire 
  

   lower 
  surface 
  is 
  maroon 
  and 
  black, 
  the 
  grey 
  feathers 
  being 
  confined 
  to 
  a 
  narrow 
  strip 
  

   along 
  the 
  sides. 
  In 
  such 
  birds 
  the 
  maroon 
  on 
  the 
  dorsal 
  surface 
  occurs 
  irregularly 
  over 
  

   the 
  entire 
  mantle. 
  This 
  forms 
  a 
  direct 
  link 
  with 
  P. 
  castanea. 
  

  

  This 
  western 
  line 
  of 
  biddulphi 
  leading 
  from 
  macrolopha, 
  while 
  it 
  shows 
  an 
  increase 
  

   and 
  darkening 
  of 
  the 
  chestnut, 
  yet 
  has 
  the 
  dorsal 
  surface, 
  including 
  the 
  lower 
  mantle, 
  

   back, 
  rump, 
  scapulars 
  and 
  wing-coverts, 
  as 
  light 
  as 
  in 
  macrolopha. 
  In 
  fact, 
  these 
  parts 
  

   are 
  identical 
  in 
  the 
  two 
  forms, 
  except 
  that 
  the 
  concealed 
  rufous 
  on 
  the 
  secondaries 
  and 
  

  

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