PU Cl? AS IA DU / A U C E L I
PUfRAS IA D¥ ¥AUCELI I .
DUVAUCEE’S PEER A * PHEASANT.
TRAGOPAN DUVAUCELII, Temm. Plan. Color. 545.—Bon. Compt. Rend. (1856) p. 879.—G. R. Gray, Hand-list o f Birds, pt. ii. p. 259.
no. 9590,
PUCRASIA CASTANEA, Gould, B. o f Asia.—Sclat. Proc. Zool. Sbei (1863) p. 116. sp. 2.—Jerd. B. o f India, vol. iii. p. 526.—Gould, Proc.
Zool. Soc. (18 5 4 ) p. 99.—Blytli, Ibis (1867), p. 152.
PUCRASIA NEPALENSIS, Gould, B. of Asia, pt. vi. pi, 90 (hybpljl between P. Duvaucelii and P. macrolopha').
H ab .P
D uvaucel’s Pucras Pheasant was figured and described by Temminck in the ‘ Planches Coloriées’ as long ago as the year 1834.
He knew .nothing o f its economy or habits, and stated its habitat to he Nepaul and the elevated regions of the Himalayas,
Although so long a time lias since elapsed, we are possessed of, no more knowledge regarding it thaii was its describer, but few
examples having found their way . to Europe. Mr. Gould’s P . castanea is undoubtedly this species. He states that the two specimens
in the possession of* the' East-India Company* were collected ,by Dr. William Griffith in Kaffiristan. Up to the present time
nothing is known of the zoology of that region; but it is possible that this species may dwell amid the range of the Hindoo Koosh
mountains. I have seen, specimens o f this bird in the different collections of the great national museums of Europe, which agree
with each other, and determine' the species as very distinct from the Common Pucras of India. The P . nepalensis of Gould appears
to me to be a hybrid between this bird and the P . macrolopha, which would show, if this supposition is correct, that the habitats
of the two species meet at: some point, thus enabling the birds to mingle together. Duvaucel’s Pucras is much more richly coloured
thau its ally, and is altogether a handsomer bird.
The male has the head dark green, with the upper part chestnut. A long occipital crest formed o f chestnut and dark green
feathers. A white patch on each side o f the throat. Upper part o f back dark chestnut; centre of feathers black. Rest of upper
parts black, the feathers edged with white, this last becoming broader and more conspicuous towards the rump. Tail dark chestnut,
the feathers black along the shaft. A broad rich dark chestnut band extends from the throat, through the centre of the breast and
abdomen to the vent. Flanks black, the feathers narrowly margined with white. Wings blackish brown. Secondaries, chestnut-
brown on their inner webs. Primaries buff on their outer webs, dark brown Oh their inner. Bill black. Feet and legs flesh-colour.