6 
Mr. j. D. 1). La Touche on the 
-V 
[Ibis, 
are said to be a wide and complete white collar and dark 
flanks, to which Pere David adds a white spot, often present, 
below the ear. The examination of, I may say, hundreds of 
these pheasants, during seven winters at Chinwangtao, has 
convinced me that, whereas the more or less broad white collar 
is a constant feature, the depth of colouring of the flanks, 
as also the development of the eyebrow, the green of the 
lower back and rump, and the ear-spot are variable features. 
The last-mentioned character may be put aside as of no 
distinctive value ; some birds have it, others not. A few 
birds obtained in the market have the white on the neck so 
extended that the base of all the green feathers from the 
ring to the ear is white. The width of the ring is also 
extremely variable and the hinder part of it is often very 
narrow, the feathers being edged with black or green. Some 
birds procured in the market have the flanks and the base of 
the hind neck of a very rich and dark orange colour, and 
these have also generally the ridge of the back and rump of 
a deep olive colour with a bright emerald sheen. Very 
occasionally one comes across a specimen which is no darker 
than Lower Yangtse birds. Again, the edging of the copper- 
red breast-feathers is variable and cannot be taken into con¬ 
sideration ; some birds have this edging broad and complete, 
others have but a mere apical speck. On the other hand, 
the scapulars show very little variation, such as is not 
uncommon in Lower Yangtse birds. 
Several examples, shot at twenty to twenty-five miles north 
of the port, may be specially mentioned. These have all 
dark flanks and the green on the back and rump is brilliant; 
but one bird (not purchased), which was evidently a bird of 
the year, had very little green on the back. The eyebrow 
is very white and broad in three examples, dull or of medium 
development in six others. The ear-spot is present in five 
and absent in four. The width of the white ring varies : in 
front from about 2 in. to 1 in. ; on the sides from 1^ in. to 
2 in. ; behind, from about half an inch to 020 in. 
In comparing the north-east Chihli Pheasant with the 
Lower Yangtse Pheasant, there is only one constant feature 
