loss of time. Since writing the above, the Prime Minister, or Kalahome (the most gentlemanly of the Siamese
Ministers and officials), has called on me. He tells me the Pheasant is found at Rapri or Raxaburi
(according to Sir John Bowring’s map in lat. 13° 33' N . ; long., say 100° E .).”
With regard to the bird’s affinities to the other groups of the Galltnacece, it is most nearly allied to Euplo-
comus,—indeed, it can scarcely be separated from that form; but Mr. Blyth has proposed for it a new
generic title, that of Diardigallus, and Bonaparte has followed in his wake. Mr. Blyth had the living bird
before him, from which to draw his conclusions, and he states that the tail-feathers turn outwards, like those
of the Black Cock. I f such be the case, the bird differs from the members of the genus Euplocomus, whose
tails are carried vertically, after the manner of those of the Domestic Cock.
Face and wattles naked, and of a brilliant r e d ; line down the centre o f the head, ear-coverts, nape, and
chin dull b lack ; shafts of the crest-feathers black, their feathered tips steel-blue; neck, breast, shoulders,
and upper half of the back slate-grey, very minutely freckled with greyish w hite; wing-coverts and scapularies
slate-grey, more conspicuously freckled with greyish white, and with a narrow line of white, succeeded by a
broad fascia o f black across the t ip ; feathers of the centre o f the back slate-grey, freckled with white a t the
base, and largely tipped with lustrous golden yellow, only the latter colour showing, and forming a conspicuous
p a tch ; feathers of the lower part of the back, and the upper tail-coverts black a t the base, with a broad
band of shining steel-blue near the tip, succeeded by a broader band at the tip of rich deep fiery crimson
red, these bands alone being seen and changing in hue and in intensity as the position is v aried ; wings
dark grey, miuutely freckled with light grey j primaries brown, freckled on their outer margins with light
g rey ; tail-feathers glossy oil-green; feathers covering the abdomen and flanks black, margined with steel-
blue ; thighs black; bill greenish horn-colour; legs and feet deep red, the spaces between the scales p aler;
nails horny flesh-colour; spur dark horn-colour.
The figure is rather less than the natural size. In the distance I have given a reduced copy o f Mr. Craw-
furd’s drawing, in case it should prove to be a representation o f the female of this b ird ; of course the
brown-coloured figure is the one referred to.-