10 LOTSY AND KUIPER, A PRELIM. STATEMENT OF THE RESULTS OF MR. 
a whole than would the isolation of varius, such segregation setting it 
as far apart from Gallus as is the genus Chrysolophus. 
„Study of the plumage of the four species shows a tangle of charac- 
ters which can be logically oriented only when we think of all four birds 
having descended from some form quite different and much more gene- 
ralised than any of them are to-day 1). For example, taking the cocks 
first, the ventral plumage brings gallus and varius close together; the 
dorsal surface shows a close similarity between gallus and lafavyettt. 
Sonnerati, while it has a general body plumage of a much more genera- 
lised pattern and coloration than any of the others, has hackles and 
wing-coverts more specialised than in the other three, the peculiar sea- 
ling-wax-like spots deserving of as great distinction as some would give 
to vartus for its peculiar characters”. 
„Ihe hens, on the contrary, show propinquities entirely unlike tho- 
se of the respective cocks. The ventral plumage associates closely Ja- 
fayetti and sonnerati, while the dorsal patterns and colours indicate an 
affinity between gallus and sonnerati, and the generalised black and 
white wing-bars link lafayetti and varius’’. 
BEEBE then gives the following key to the genus: 
GALLUS. 
Type. 
Gallus Linnaeus, Faun. Suecica 1746 p. 1 . . . . . G. gallus. 
Alector Klein, Hist. Av. Prodr. 1750 Pronker 
Creagrius Gloger, Hand- u. Hilfeb. 1842 p. 387 . . . G. varius. 
This well-marked group of four species is widely distributed throug- 
hout India, Burma and the Malay Peninsula, Ceylon and Java. Wh ereit 
occurs outside of these regions it has probably been introduced by man ?). 
Key to Gallus 
I. Comb and spurs largely developed, middle pair of tail-featherselon- 
gated (males). 
*) It seems to us more logical to assume that they are segregates from some 
former cross, as Beebe himself has shown a number of forms of pheasants, 
described as species, to be. j 
*) This statement appears to us too sweeping; see f.i. later on, the birds of 
Celebes. 
