by which the two birds may be always distinguished from one another, and that is the colouring of the sides of the neck above the white ring. In P. torquatus this is violet, except just next to the ring; in the north-east Chihli bird it is green.
The Pheasant of north-east Chihli may therefore be characterized as follows:—
- 1. Eyebrow more or less broad.
- 2. Sides of the neck above the white ring shot with green.
- 3. White ring, generally broad and always complete.
- 4. Flanks and base of hind neck more or less deep orange.
- 5. Ridge of back and rump olive with a more or less brilliant emerald-green sheen.
Of the above characters, only Nos. 2 and 3 are absolutely constant.
Among the series of Ring-necked Pheasants procured here, three may be specially mentioned. One, apparently hermaphrodite, purchased in the market on the 23rd of January, 1916; and a female, also obtained in the local market, which has the black markings of the upper parts replaced by a delicate lavender-grey. The former bird has the general colouring of the male P. karpowi, the coppery-red upper breast-feathers are not edged with black, having only a black apical speck, the webs on either side of this have a straw-coloured spot at their extremity. The flank-spots are very small, the white collar has just below it on the hind neck a broad edge of coppery chestnut and is edged with straw-colour in front. The wing-coverts are marked with chestnut. The colouring of the back resembles neither that of the male nor that of the female: the feathers are black in the centre with a brownish-buff spot towards the base, the shaft of the same light colouring, the rest of the feathers is chestnut waved with black and with a broad border of dull olive-grey. The rump feathers are dark brown, barred with brownish buff and with a metallic green apical fringe. The upper tail-coverts are buffish grey with broad oval-shaped bars encircled with chestnut. The tail (central rectrices missing) is of the usual golden olive with
