PHASIANUS.
Tail long, of 18 feathers; male with spur on tarsus and sides of head naked, lobed below eye in spring; nest on ground; eggs numerous, olive brown to brownish grey.
Phasianus colchicus colchicus L. PH EAsANT. Fr.
Faisan ; Ger. Jadg-I'asan ; Fagiano ; Swed. Fasan.
Coppery maroon with purple tips to feathers, which are emarginate at tip of shaft, wings brown marked with some purple feathers, tail olive yellow barred black, crown green, throat and neck darker with purple reflections, especially on sides of neck, abdomen bluish black. Bill brownish yellow. Bare skin on head red. Legs and feet brownish horn colour. Wing 232 256, 9 210-22o. Tarsus 65-70. Bill 28-3o. 9 Brown, feathers with black angular centres, bordered by red brown and tipped buff ; crown, neck, and chest with purple gloss, breast and abdomen light brown.
Resident—W. Transcaucasia, south-east and east of Black Sea, north to Araxes River. From there introduced in ancient times into Greece and later over almost all Europe, north to S. Sweden and Christiania.
Resident.—N. Slopes of Caucasus, especially valleys of Kuban, Terek, and Kuma, and W. Coast of Caspian south to Apcheron Peninsula and north to Volga mouth.