Y F -X M - f l ) - r K . l .
Fumai,-
Z .'iA a t.R .
T a b b . L X V Ï . e t L X V I I .
PH A S IA N U S ALBO-CRISTATUS .
M a s . P h a s . su p ra a te r , v ir id i n ito r e sp len d en s ; dorso imo albo fa s c ia to ; e r is toe p lum is albis,
e lo n g a tis , deorsim re cum b en tïb u s, ba si s u b fm c i s ; r em ig ib u s earporeque in fe r io r i f u s c i s ;
p e c to r is p lu m is la n c eolatis albescentibus.
Foe m . Co rp o re s u p ra c r is tâ q u e b r e v io r i fu s c e s c e n ti-h r u n n e is ; a b d om in ep a llid io r e ; g u lâ , p lum a -
rum q u e corporis a p ic ib u s e t rh a ch ib u s a lb e s c e n tib u s ; re c tric ih u s la te ra lib u s a tr is , mediis
b rim n e is alb e sc en ti u n d u la tis.
L o n g itu d o corporis, 22 u n e .; caudoe, 1 2 ; aloe, 9 i ; ta r s i, 2i .
T he aspect and form o f the jtresent bird differ strikingly from those o f the genera Tragopan and Lophophorus
which have ju s t been noticed. Its characters are extremely interesting, as forming a very obvious connecting
link between the genera Gallus and Plmianus-, the group being allied to tbe former genus by its short and
arched tail and its strong tarsus and spurs, and to the la tte r by the more delicate contour of body and the
less developed comb and wattles. Tbe group o f birds to wliich this species belongs has been formed by
M. Temminck into a genus named Euplocamus. Unlike the GalU, who frequent the lower districts and flat
jungles o f the Asiatic continent, it prefers the more elevated portions of the country, where its food consists
chiefly of seeds, wild bulbous roots, &c.
Tlie head is ornamented with a pendent crest of white feathers ; the naked skin of the face is bright scarlet ;
the top o f the head, back and sides of the neck, as well as the back and shoulders, are black, with metallic
green reflections ; the qnills brownish black ; the rump and iipjier tail-coverts are beautifully barred with
blueish black and wliite, each feather being black a t its base and tipped with a margin o f wliite; the tail is
black ; the breast and under-surface covered with lanceolate feathers o f an intermingled brown and white
colour ; the thighs, bill and legs are brown.
The female wants the lanceolate feathers of the breast, and the feathers o f the crest are brown, as is the
whole o f her plumage, obscurely marked on the upper surface witli minute zigzag lines.
The male and female are figured two thirds o f their natural size.