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Phasianus

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“

PHEASANT (Phasianus colchicus).

—John Keble's Parishes

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Definitions (1)

American Heritage Dictionary

Century Dictionary (1)

The typical genus of the family Phasianidæ and subfamily Phasianinæ, formerly nearly conterminous with the family, now restricted to such forms as Phasianus colchicus, the common pheasant, long domesticated in Europe. They have a much-lengthened tail, with long acuminate middle feathers, and the head crestless but provided with lateral tufts. At least 16 species are commonly referred to this genus (in several sections, ranked by some authors as genera). One of the most remarkable is P. (Syrmaticus) reevesi, of northern China, in which the tail reaches the maximum length of 5 or 6 feet. The plumage is beautifully varied with black, white, chestnut, and golden yellow. P. (Catreus) wallichi is the cheer, or Wallich's pheasant, of the Himalayas, with a long, broad tail and much-varied plumage. P. (Graphophasianus) soemmeringi is Sommering's pheasant, of Japan, with coppery-metallic plumage and very long tail. P. (Calophasis) ellioti is a gorgeously colored pheasant of the mountains near Ningpo, in China. Certain green-breasted pheasants, as P. versicolor of Japan and P. elegans of China, form a small group. Ring-necked pheasants, as P. insignia and P. mongolicus, have a white ring around the neck. The above-named approach more and more nearly to the ordinary pheasant as domesticated in Euvope, of which the Turkestan P. shawi is a near relative. The silver and golden pheasants, though long-tailed, are now placed in other genera (Euplocamus and Thaumalea). See further under pheasant.

GNU Webster's 1913

WordNet

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Examples

It belongs probably to an Ebenaceous tree The wood-duck (Bernicla jubata) abounded on the larger water-holes which we passed; and the swamp-pheasant (Centropus Phasianus, GOULD) was heard several times among the trees surrounding the grassy hollows The smoke of extensive bush-fires was observed under Lord's Table Range, and along the western and south-western ranges. — Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia : from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during the years 1844-1845
PHEASANT (Phasianus colchicus). — John Keble's Parishes
Phasianus, fertility of hybrids, 253. — On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. (2nd edition)
Apparently a new subgenus of Phasianus. — Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and the Neighbouring Countries
The wood-duck (Bernicla jubata) abounded on the larger water-holes which we passed; and the swamp-pheasant (Centropus Phasianus, GOULD) was heard several times among the trees surrounding the grassy hollows. — Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia : from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during the years 1844-1845

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Etymologies (1)

Century Dictionary (1)

New Latin, from Latin phasianus, from Greek φασιανός, a pheasant: see pheasant.

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