CPvOSSOPTILON THIBETAN UM
C-UOSSOPTILOX THIBETANUM.
HODGtSOFS EARED PHEASANT.
PHASIANUS CROSSOPTILON, Hodgs. Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. (1838) p. 864, pi. xlvi.
CROSSOPTILON THIBETANUS, Hodgs. Journ. Asiat. Soc, Berig.\#838) p. 864.—Id. Gray’s Zool. Misc. (1844) p. 85.
C. AURITUM, Hodgs. List Anim. and Birds Brit. Mus. (1846)-p. 124.—Gray & Mitch. Gen. o f B. vol. iii. (18 4 5 ) p. 494.
§ 8 f THIBETANUM, SclatrProc. Zool. Soc. (1883) p. 118.—G. R. Gray, List Gall. Brit. Mus. (1 8 6 7 $ $ '8 1 .
H ab . Thibet (H odgs. ) . r
This beautiful bird (a single example of which was procured by Mr. Hodgson as long ago as 1838, and placed in the British Museum,
Ayherë it still remains the solitary representative of the species) is believed to b e a native of Thibet. It was justly regarded by its
describer a s constituting an entirely new genus ; and it certainly may be esteemed worthy of ranking among the most beautiful members
of this family. Although wanting the general distribution of metallic colours so prevalent in many species of the Phasianidæ, yet its pure
.yyhite dress, relieved by the scarlet of the face, and the rich central feathers o f .the long, graceful, flowing tail render it a most charming
addition to the already long lis t of the known species of.-. Pheasants. It cannot with propriety be deemed a true Pheasant, although a
member of the same family, but is more properly one of the necessary links which connect the different groups of Phasianidæ together.
Some, of these links are still wanting, but wíjlf probably be-bfought to light from amid the recesses of those distant countries whence even
very lately some new and beautiful species bave been introduced to the notice of ornithologists.
Although the Thibetan or, as I should prefer to call it, Hodgson’s Eared Phegsantls represented^ a unique example, we may hope that
before long- others will reach Western Europe, since, from the indefatigable efforts of the Frenln imissionarv Père David, another species
closely allied to it in appearance bas been discovered in Thibet, several examples of which are now in the Paris Museum.
The specimen whose portrait is here given is a mâle, known by its having spurs ;• and as the sexes of all the other members of this
genus are alike in their plumage, we may suppose that the female of this species would in every respect resemble the one figured in my
Plate, with the single exception that it would be destitute of spurs.
Nothing whatever is known of the economy or habits of this species. Mr. Hodgson merely states that “ he possessed one specimen of
this large And striking bird; - It is a mature male, and was brought recently to Cathmandu by the Nipalese envoy to Pekin, who has just
returned h£re. The length from the tip of the bill to the tip of the tail is from 38 to 40 inches, of which the bill is !-§- and the tail 19 to
20 inches. A closed wing measures 12-j inches, the tarsus 4-r, middle toe 2-f-. General colour bluish white, lighter on the under parts.
Ccqwu of head velvety black; Primaries dark rufous brown; secondaries dark lead-colour. Tail black, glossed with green, a white stripe
on the outer webs of the lateral feathers about two-thirds from their bases; the long central feathers thread-like, the webs very, much
split and curved at their tips. Legs red.