Genus GENNAEUS.
Gennaeus Wagler, Isis, 1832, p. 1228.,
Type, Phasianus nycthemerus Linn.
This genus contains the Pheasants popularly known as Kalij and Silver Pheasants and are the most closely-allied of all our Indian Pheasants to the Jungle-Eowl. They are all heavily built, powerful birds with comparatively short rounded wings ; tail of sixteen feathers, compressed, and of great or moderate length with the central tail-feathers longest; their legs are stout and fairly long, armed in the male with powerful spurs, one on each leg and only abnormally two; there is a well-developed crest and a vividly-coloured bare space round the eye.
It is possible that the whole of these Pheasants should be treated as races of one species, nycthemerus of Linnaeus. We have, however, certain main definite forms which are constant over great areas and for the present therefore I retain the same number of species as I admitted in my Catalogue of Birds. At the same time our material for comparison, especially in regard to the Silver Pheasants of Burma and further East, is very meagre and our field-notes not very satisfactory, so that it is quite possible that when these faults are remedied we may have either to admit more races or, on the other hand, relegate to the scrap-heap of synonyms some of those now admitted.
Key to Species.
A.Lower plumage black or black and white.
a. Crest white or very pale brown...............G. hamiltonii, , p. 320.
B.Crest black.
a1. Upper plumage black, feathers with
pale edges and rump barred white;breast largely whitish............G. leucomelanus, [p. 322..
b1. Upper plumage wholly black; breast whitish..............G. melanotus, p. 323.
c1. Upper plumage black, rump boldly barred with white ; breast black………..G. horsfieldii, p. 324.
d. Upper plumage grey, formed by nar¬row vermiculations and bars of black and white……………G. lineatus, p. 327.
e1. Upper plumage almost white, with sparse narrow bars of black………..G. nycthemerus, p. 331
B.Lower plumage mottled or squamated and with pale shafts but not with white or buff streaks.
c.Bather paler below…………….G. hamiltonii, p. 320.
d.Bather darker below.
f1. Central tail-feathers well mottled.
a2. Feathers of tipper plumage with pale contrasting edges..........G. leucomelanus, [p. 322
b2. Feathers of upper plumage with pale edges, barely showing........G. melanotus, p. 323.
g1. Central tail-feathers not much mottled............G. horsfieldii, p. 324.
C.Lower plumage with white or buff streaks not squamated.............. G. lineatus, p. 327.
D.Lower plumage with white or buffy-white centres, or buff with bold bars or edges
of dark brown.............G. nycthemerus, p. 331
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