923. Phasianus mongolicus

923. MONGOLIAN PHEASANT.
PHASIANUS MONGOLICUS.
Phasianus mongolicus, Brandt, Bull. Acad. St. Petersb, iii. p. 51 (1844) ; Gould, B. of As. vii. pl. 41 ; Elliot, Monogr. Phas. ii. pl. iv. ; Ogilvie Grant, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxii. p. 328 ; P. brandti, Rothsch. Bull. B. O. Club, xii. p. 20 (1901).
Male ad. (Turkestan). Upper parts richly glossed with purplish carmine without any trace of golden orange ; wing-coverts white with a faint greyish tinge ; tail rather darker than in P. chrysomelas ; under parts more rufous ; flanks fiery red barred with greenish black, a conspicuous white collar continued round the back of the neck, but interrupted in front. Culmen 1.5, wing 9.2, tail 22.2, tarsus 2.5 inch. The female resembles that of P. chrysomelas, but on the dorsal feathers there is a subterminal black spot and a central bar.
Hab. The valley of the Syr-Darya east to Lake Zaisan, and the valley of the Black Irtisch, south to the valley of the Ili and Issik-Kul. In habits and nidification it does not differ from its allies. Eggs from Issik-Kul resemble those of P. colchicus, but are rather paler and measure about 1.91 by 1.44.