IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. 325 



glossed on the throat with green and purple, dull and unglossed else- 

 where." — Jerdon. Total length 27 to 28 inches; bill horny grey; 

 naked orbits blue. The female is pale brown with dark spots and 

 markings, and is smaller in size than the male ; chin and throat white. 



The males lose much of the bright metallic lustre of the plumage 

 after a season in the plains. 



Hab. — "From the western borders of Kashmir to the more 

 western portions, at any rate, of Bhutan. The Monaul is found in 

 suitable localities throughout the Himalayas." — Hume. 



Length of life in captivity. 



A specimen lived for about eighteen months. Others have come 

 into the possession of the garden, but none have thriven ; nor is this 

 expected, considering the high elevation at which they live. 



(352) SCLATER'S MONAUL. 



(LOPHOPHORUS SCLATEEI— Jerdon.) 



This bird has no crest ; there is a large bare space all round the 

 eye of a bright blue colour ; the sides and back of the neck rich golden 

 copper with a metallic gloss ; the middle back, rump, and upper tail 

 coverts white ; in other respects it resembles the preceding species 



Hab. — Said to inhabit the hills near Sadiya in Upper Assam. A 

 specimen was on deposit for a few months. 



(353) THE PHEASANT. 



(PHASIANUS COLCHICUS— Zm^.) 



Description. — Head green, brownish on the occiput; behind the 

 ears are small tufts of greenish feathers; throat, sides of face, spot 

 under eye, and neck green, with blue reflexions ; upper back golden 

 yellow, feathers with triangular marks of dark blue ; rest of the back 

 black, with chestnut margins, and a bufry white streak running parallel 

 to the shaft ; rump red with greenish reflexions, deep red over the tail ; 

 upper tail coverts olive brown, mottled with brownish black ; upper part 

 of the breast rich brown-red, glossing from orange to purple and blue ; 

 flank golden orange broadly tipped with deep blue; abdomen black, 

 with centre feathers yellowish brown in the middle, next a red longi- 

 tudinal line, and a green edging ; narrow black bars cross the centre ; 

 lateral feathers mottled black on their inner webs; further laterally 

 they are mottled on both webs ; under tail coverts deep red ; bare skin 

 of the eye scarlet, finely dotted with green feathers. The female is gene- 

 rally smaller, of a greyish yellow colour, and mottled. 



Hab. — British Islands. 



Length of life in captivity. 



Bears captivity well; some of the specimens lived over seven 

 years. 



