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THAÜ MALEA OBSCURA.
BLACK-THROATED HOLDEN PHEASANT.
PHASIANUS PICTUS OBSCURUS, Schleg. Ngj&Tij. vor DierE ygggi p. 152.
GHRYSOLOPHU^ OBSGURlJSi Gray, List Gall. (1867) $ $ $ $ 0
Hab. — .
T h is apparently good species of Thaumalea was first brought to th e notice of ornithologists by Prof. Schlegel, who, unfortunately
following the polynominal system, bestowed upon it three names, two of which I have retained. The differences exhibited by this
species from the common T. picta are apparently constant, and are not confined to either sex pjpany age, but are to be seen in
every stage of plumage, from the chick ju st issued from the shell to the fully matured bird. The locality of this form is not known.
It was supposed a t one time that Java was its h ab ita t; but no species of Pheasant is found upon that island. Prof. SchlegePs
account is as follows:—“ For a number' of years there could be seen in the collections of the dealers in live animals, also in the
Zoological Gardens, a Golden Pheasant which differs constantly and from its earliest- age from the Common Golden Pheasant.
Numbers of this Pheasant are raised annually, even a t Leyden, which for the most part are sent abroad. The dealers are accustomed
to designate this bird as the Golden Pheasant of Java, probably because it was brought to Europe by the vessels coining by way
of Java ; but as the genus P/iasiartus is confined to the continent of Asia, it is probable that our vessels, being engaged in commerce
between Java and the east coast of Asia, have brought this ;bird from some place on that coast. This bird, although
resembling perfectly by its shape and the general distribution o f its colours, the Common Golden Pheasant, can nevertheless constantly be
distinguished a t the first sight and in all ages by trenchant characters, such as are consequently easy to be fixed upon; that is
to say :— 411 the young, when covered with down, by the reddish brown hue of the back; in individuals in their first plumage and
in adult females by the darker hues, notably on the sides of the head and the throat, and by the uniform brownish black of the
ear-coverts ; in the adult males by the brown sides of the head and throat, by the feathers o f the ruff bordered with blackish green,
by the shorter tail, o f which the central feathers possess, instead of spots, oblique lines, by the outer webs of the primaries being’
without light edges, and by several other far less perceptible modifications of colour.” I have a t various periods in different zoological
gardens seen this species, sometimes under the name of picta, it having evidently been considered the same as the common species.
They become as tame as their ally, and are evidently birds of the same economy and habits.
The Plate represents male, female, and young, of tli&j natural size.