In his text, written in 1870, Gould stated that this species was unknown outside China until about 1866, but since then with recent explorations many live birds had been brought to Europe, which had bred and adapted well to captivity. At the London Zoological Gardens, Gould remarked, 'many may be seen either occupying the aviaries, moving about in a semi-domesticated state or roosting at night on the large trees of the Gardens apart from the enclosures'.
The pheasant is depicted two-thirds lifesize, its total length about 33in.
DISTRIBUTION: North-central China: Inner Mongolia west to eastern Tsinghai and southern Kansu and south to northwestern Szechwan