TABB. LXIX. ET LXX. 
PHASIANUS PUCRASIA. 
Tue present bird, which was first made known to science by the researches of Major-General Hardwicke, is 
no less interesting than the former species, as exhibiting the same tendency, by some of its characters, to 
connect nearly allied genera. From its form and general appearance, its most obvious place appears to be 
among the true Pheasants; but from these birds it differs remarkably by its singularly wedge-shaped tail, as 
well as by its crested head, a character which forms a very distinctive mark of the group of Pheasants that 
inhabit the mountainous districts of India. The crest, however, of the present species differs from that of the 
preceding in its being composed of separate rigid feathers standing from the head independently of one 
another; while that of P. Stacei consists of soft falling feathers of a lighter and more delicate texture. Both 
sexes of this bird have been received from the Himalaya, where it appears to be by no means an uncommon 
species. ‘The female is figured in this work for the first time; and it was, indeed, more especially for the 
purpose of figuring this sex, that the species was selected for illustration in this work, a good figure of the 
male having already been given in Major-General Hardwicke’s ‘‘ Indian Zoology.” 
The head is ornamented with a pendent crest, of which the lower feathers are greenish black, the upper 
tawny ; the head, back, and front of the neck, are black with green reflections ; the sides of the neck white ; 
the upper surface cinereous, passing off on the secondaries and quill-feathers into tawny, the former being 
mottled with small dots; the sides of the chest and flanks are ornamented with long lanceolate feathers, 
having white edges with a central line of black; the breast and under surface are of a deep rich chestnut ; 
the bill black ; the tarsi brown. 
The upper plumage of the female is of a uniform tawny brown, elegantly barred and spotted with zigzag 
lines and dots of black; the feathers of the crest are short, and of the same colour as the rest of the 
plumage; the throat is dull white ; the under parts light tawny. 
The respective Plates represent the male and female two thirds of their natural size. 
