as well a» peas and lupins. In order to obtain Alhagi seeds, I have seen this Pheasant frequenting the
Saxaul woods (Holoxylon ammodendron) near the river Karakol. On the Syr (Jaxartes) all these haunts
are frequented by Phasianus mongolicus; but this bird is also very commonly found in the dense reeds of
summer-drying swamps, a kind of locality in which I never met with an Oxus Pheasant. The flocks of this
last species, though often dispersed during the day, gather themselves together more closely at night, which
they generally pass in the densest bushes, as in summer. I have also found them assembling for the night
on the walls of abandoned and deserted farm-yards, which on the Oxus, as well as in Turkestan, are built
o f clay, in the form o f small fortresses,
“ In the autumn, and in all probability in the winter too, this Pheasant feeds the whole day long, and grows
very fat, even before the moult is finished; whereas in summer, as we have seen, it feeds only in the
morning and evening, resting during the heat o f the day in the shade o f the jungle. Its flesh is white and
tender, rendering it a first-rate bird for the table. When flushed, it flies a t first perpendicularly with a
great noise about ten or twelve yards high in the air, then horizontally at the same height for about a
hundred yards, and at last sinks obliquely into the jungle, where it is not easy to find again, even though
the spot be correctly marked; its flight is very short and heavy, though rapid. In dense bushes it will
run in front o f the sportsman, until it decides on flight; in open spaces also it runs out of reach of sh o t;
and winged birds can go at a great rate of speed. In some places, such for instance as the Karakol and
near the Dankara Lake, they are plentiful enough to be hunted profitably without a d o g ; but this is hot
the case where they are scarcer, as near Petroalexandrowsk. A dog, however, is more useful to scent out
where a Pheasant is hidden in the bush, as it is not much use trying to follow a dog in the jungle, especially
as a Pheasant never makes a stand, but keeps on running continually before the dog, ju st as a Landrail
does. I have never seen a dog bring one o f these Pheasants to perch, as is related of P . colchicus in the
Caucasus ; and indeed P . chrysomelas is eminently a ground-bird, perching only exceptionally, although
commencing to do so a t an earlier season than P . mongolicus. This latter species I have only seen perch in
the depth of winter, viz. on two occasions in January 1875, and never before, during many years of
observation. Both the species mentioned were seen to perch only in Eleagnus trees.
“ The female o f P . chrysomelas is, both in proportions and general colouring, exceedingly like the female
of P . mongolicus; on an average, however, the head is smaller, the bill and the feet more slender, and the
toes somewhat shorter; but these characters vary with individuals of both species, as also do the details of
coloration. The only difference that I found to be more constant is to be noticed in the black markings
of the hind neck (ce rvix); the female of P . chrysomelas has each feather on this part marked with a single
black horse-shoe of variable shape, while the female of P . mongolicus has two large transverse oval spots :
but the three females of P . chrysomelas which I possess can scarcely be considered sufficient to fix these
characters as constant.”
In conclusion I may state that the figure in the plate is taken from one of Dr. SevertzofFs typical
specimens, given by him to Mr. Osbert Salvin. From Mr. Salvin this fine bird passed to my own
collection, which contains a complete series of this group of birds.
My readers will have no difficulty in perceiving the masterly hand o f Mr. Wolf in the outline of both the
drawings o f Pheasants in the present part.
The principal figure on the accompanying Plate is about one tenth less than the natural size.