58 



OOLtim PHEASANTS. 



sent tliitlier in 1817, or 1818, and was very 

 probacy tlie sp€<^na«& fym wMch T^miti^^s 



The goldeiij or painted pheasants, (Ph^lito^ 

 pictnff,) now so w ell known even at liome, are 

 decked in elegant plumage : it can, liowever, he 

 »o fi^mpliiiaeiit AjBir liarmonious blending of 

 colours, to call t^iem pamtedji «11:iiO»gk ept- 

 diet may l)e c<Mad;&t!ed fety applicable to their 

 srencral gandy appearance. Tlieir brilliant tints 

 excite more admiration in vulgar minds than the 

 delicate pencilling of the silver pheasant, or the 

 less ^ndf but mare el«^Btriiii(tiiig ol -plttsiage 

 ill the Reeves's, or tlie ring-neck pheasants. The 

 painted pheasant is called Kum, kai,* or Kin, kai, 

 by the Chinese : the eggs of the bird are de- 

 scribed as being white, with brown spots. These 



Che, Kxen, and Keang, nan. 



The mall* of this bird, when courting the fe- 

 male, or bullying;' the males, conceals the purple 

 feathers of the wings with tlie golden feathers of 



fte biffikj at tbe mct^ toe bfbging those fea- 

 tkedk, forward, mi CQiie«sding tb^ bill^ ^tts^ 



■< III tlic ( niiiiiion Canton diakct, Kurn signifies gCH^^ but 

 ill the Rlamlariu diulcct, Kin is tUc name for f^oWj tfi3:t 

 itlih^ jiirtt U mtatd boUi Kiuti, kai» and ICitt« 



