C A L O P H A S I S E L L I O T I .
Taking, all these striking and exceptional peculiarities into consideration, I could not do otherwise than place this brilliant bird
in a genus by itself ; and I have accordingly bestowed upon it the term Calophasis, or Beautiful Pheasant, with the following
characters
Bill rather small, Pheasant-like, but the nostrils only partially covered by a scale, more open and exposed than in any species of
Phasianus. Feathers of back and rump rounded, not covering the upper tail-coverts, which are exposed. Bare' skin on face
visible in both sexes, in the male much more' restricted than in any known species of true Pheasant. Tail broad a t base, the
median feathers diminishing rapidly towards their termination, and exhibiting an inclination to curve outwards. Tarsi of the male
provided with a long, sharply pointed spur, the female also having plain indications of the same in a well-projected scale. Head
non-crested ; no ear-tufts, and no feathered spot beneath and behind the eye on the bare skin, which is always present in every
species of Phasianus. The general arrangement in the colouring o f the plumage in both sexes is entirely different from any,
Pheasant yet knowu to science.
I have sa id 'th a t this néw species is the most interesting-addition yet made to the family of the Phasianidæ ; and my reasons'
for so considering it are to be-found in the many affinities exhibited by it towards other members of the, family, comprising entirely
different généra,! as though .it wjei-e an important link' in. the chain of evidence to show ,us the gradation of one apparently remote
form into another. Possessing characters appertaining to the species o f Phasianus and also to other distinct forms comprising well-
marked subgeneric divisions o f , that genus, os we|l as some that are to be seen in ‘.the distinct genus Euplocamus, it woiild appear
that the Ci Ellioti points out the way, tp a Certain extent, by which those, two genera,/have become separated.; and I'c annot .but
believe, after seeing this wonderful bird, that amid the mountains o f the interior of China there yet remain, unknown to
science, still more extraordinary forms of this family than an y , th a t . have yet been brought to, th e notice o f . the/scientific world.
The tail-, of this :species, is rather broad a t the base, and the two median feathers have a tendency to curve, outwards, a t the tip :
whether,- this • is accidental or .not, I cannot', say ; but' if it should; be generally the case with other examples, it would be one
more evidence of an inclination towards Euplocamus, which presents the median tail-feathers broad and curving- downwards. The
stylé of markings of the tail o f this Pheasant is entirely such as is seen .in the species of Phasiamis.
I t is.-ito be hoped that living specimens of .this , beautiful bird may be brought to Europe ; for -not Only would they form a
charming addition to the aviaries of the Zoological Gardens, but would also be a valuable introduction to parks and preserve's.
I would- not- conclude my remarks without congratulating Mr. Swinhoe upon the auspicious manner in which he has entered upon
his . labours in a field that, before him, no European naturalist has ever seriously, investigated ; ’ and I feel assured that after the
Explorer of Formosa has-searched out the land, the province of Che-Kiang will .prove but barren ground to any one who,, engaged
in . the same pursuits, may, follow, in his footsteps.
I: give below Mr. Swinhoe’s description. of th e . two sexes of the pre sent. species.
Male.—Crotyn of. head dusky’olive, centre darker, a white .streak over the eye, narrowly bordered with black; face-skin shaped and
coloured like th a to f P . torquatus, but; quite bare; lower eyelid covered with minute white feathers, édged below with black; sides
and back of neck bluish grey, becoming white as it descends downwards and sidewards; ear-coverts deep olive-grey, the feathers
rather long and disintegrated ; feathers on rostral edge of face-skin, chin, and throat black, burnished with steel-blue as it descends
to edge o f .breast, and forms a narrow collar, round white tippet of neck. Back and breast yellowish without, deeper round the
collar and on lower breast, each feather with a .crescent o f , black across its centre, and with broad, rounded, loosely webbed
margin* reflecting a rich metallic golden h u e; those of the lower breast crossed with black and' white; belly pure white, the
flank-feathers ; being irregularly barred with black and white, sometimes associated with chestnut; axillaries white, marked with
brown,;, under tail-coverts very deep chestnut, with more or less black> Upper ; scapulars black, broadly tipped with white, forming
a broad shoulder-bar; the rest of the scapulars and th e lesser wing-coverts deep maroon chestnut,..the '.margins of the feathers
reflecting a fiery metallic tint ; a broad daub of steel-blue black occurs on the shoulder a t the edge of the scapulars ; greater wing-
covèrts deep chestnut, with a; black bar succeeded by a broad .white tip, forming a very distinct white band across the wing ;
tertiary quills coloured. in th e; same manner, but with the. tips tinged with yellowish and mottled with black ; secondaries similar
to the last, with .inner- or hidden half of feathers blackish brown, and the basal half of outer web mottled with the same; primaries
brown* the' outer webs and tips, more or less mottled reddish buff. Lower back and rump steel-black; beautifully barred with
vvhite, each feather having a central bar, a more or less distinct basal bar, and a tip of white; some o f thèse feathers near the
tail are tipped with cream-colour instead of white. Upper tail-coverts grey, minutely mottled with black, with broad bars o f chestnut
bordered with black. Tail barred alternately with stone-grey (£ inch) and chestnut (1 inch), the latter bordered basally with black ;
on the lateral rectrices the black border broadens, and some of the bands are: bordered both on forward and basal edge.
i Fresk inale shot towards end o f November 1871.—Entire length 30 inches ; tail 1 7 '5 ,o f sixteen greatly graduated feathers, the
two central exceeding the next by 5*75; wings 9 inches ; tarsi 3 ; middle toe and claw 2*4. Bill lemon horn-colour. Iris bright
chestnut. Legs satiny bluish grey, or pale clear lead-colour, Face-skin bright scarlet ; spur long and sharp* Crop crammed with
se.ed-pods, seeds, berries, and: leaves, in much variety. Served on table, its flesh was white, firm,, close-grained, and tender, but,
to my taste, not equal in flavour to that of the P . torquatus about Ningpo.
C A L O P H A S I S E L L I O T I .
Female. Skin round eye .bare a n d • crimson, sprinkled with a few small feathers; lower eyelid clothed with minute cream-coloured
feathers. Loral space and head reddish cream, with the crown chestnut-brown, the feathers centred with blac$( throat and under
neck black, face and re st of neck grey, washed with fawn-colour, the feathers margined with white and banded with black spots.
Belly white, the flanks irregularly barred with dusky fawn-colour, and occasionally with narrow black, some feathers having white
central streaks; under tail-coverts black-banded, a t times with deep chestnut,, and all broadly tipped with white; axdlaries fawn,
with cream-white margins, the under wing-coverts having such margins bordered inwardly with blackish. Dorsals greyish chestnut,
with an arrow-head centre of white to each’, and one narrow and one broad bar o f black, with a tip of olive grey. Scapulars light
yellowish brown, mottled with blackish and patched on inner webs with black, and tipped with whitish; wing-coverts chestnut-brown,
margined, except about the shoulder, with whitish, and irregularly mottled and patched with black ; winglet and primaries deep
brown, the former spotted with reddish chestnut* the latter on the outer webs and a t tips with brownish buff; secondaries brown,
with whitish margins mottled with reddish buff, the tertiaries being yellowish brown, with pale margins mottled with black, and
with a black patch on each outer web. Lower back and rump yellowish brown mottled with black and buff; the upper taibeoverts
having central blotches of black. The two central tail-feathers brownish grey, finely mottled, banded with seven obscure bars of
darker brown, and terminating with a black spot and white tip. On the next feather chestnut occurs at the base of the spot, and
tinges the bar below i t ; on the next, again, the -two terminal bars are chestnut; and on those that follow, the chestnut occupies
almost the whole extent of the feather, ending with a black bar and a conspicuous white tip.
Fresh female, shot towards end o f December 1871.—Entire length 20 inches; wing 7*9; tail 6*8, of sixteen feathers, the four
centrals equal and longest, the next pretty equally graduated, about M f an inch between each. Iris reddish brown. Bill ochreous
horn-colour.' Legs light leaden,-with pale claws. Tarsi 2 5. Middle toe and claw 2 25.