PENCILLED CHINESE PHEASANT. MALE. 
Phasianus nycthemerus. 
Le FaISAN NOIR ET BLANC DE LA ChINE. 
Le FaISAN BLANC DE LA CHINE. 
Pencilled Pheasant. 
Black and white Chinese Pheasant. 
Lyn. Sjst. i. p. 27 2 . 6. 
Buf. Ois. ii. p. 3 5 9. 
Bris.Orn. i. 2 27 . 
Lath. ii. p. 1 1 . 7 19. 
Edw. ii. p. 66. 
This bird is considerably larger than the painted, and even exceeds in size 
the common, Pheasant. 
The head is covered with long feathers, which form a crest, and fall 
backwards, they are, as well as the throat, breast, belly, thighs, and coverts 
under the tail, of a full purplish black. 
The hind part of the neck, the back, the coverts of the wings and tail, 
are white, each feather being marked with black lines, which run parallel 
to the margin of each feather. The two middle feathers of the tail are 
white, the other feathers are pencilled with black lines. 
The eyes are encircled with a carunculated crimson skin, as in the 
European Pheasant, but rather broader, rises above each eye, and falls on 
each side below the under mandible; this spot enlarges, and becomes par* 
ticularly vivid in the season of love. The legs are red, armed with a 
strong white spur. 
This, like the common Pheasant, is always wild and restless; and 
though in some degree reclaimed, it is never perfectly domesticated, but on 
every opportunity discovers a vindictive disposition, furiously attacking, 
with its bill and spurs, whoever approaches or enters its pen. 
