310 On Female Pheasants assuming the Male Plumage. 



the head becoming thinner, and shewing some upright stray feathers, and in 

 a single elongated feather projecting from the tail. The spurs were larger 

 than usual in hens, but these had probably been increasing for some years. 

 The change of manner of the bird was quite remarkable ; she strutted about 

 in an overbearing way, with a firm pace, and raised tail. She formed a party 

 among the fowls, which she led separate from the cock ; and she roosted apart 

 from him. She became very voracious ; and when food was set down, (losing 

 all resemblance, in this instance, to the generous male), she beat oiF the other 

 hens : when, in these cases, she came in contact with the cock, she stared at 

 him, but without making any attack. She soon became very fat, and died 

 within a few months, seemingly of over fatness. Her cry was altered, but 

 had little resemblance to the crowing of the cock ; less, indeed, than is some- 

 times noticed in young hens. 



In a valuable paper, by Dr Butter of Plymouth, in the third volume of 

 the Memoirs of the Wernerian Society, there are many interesting facts on 

 this subject, and from which we extract the following table : 



Table of stick hirds as have, in advanced life, assumed the plumage of the mule, with 

 the names of those authors who have noticed the fact. 



Ohd. 4 — Galling. — Domestic Birds, 



Gen. 1. Pavo, Pea-hen, Hunter. 



2. Meleagris, Turkey, Bechstein, 



3. Phasianus colchicus. Pheasant, common, - - - Hunter. 



pictus, golden, - - Blumenbach, 



, gallus, Fowl, domestic, Aristotle, Tinker, Butter. 



4. Tetrao Perdix, Partridge, Montagu, 



5. Columba, Pigeon, ------ Tiedemann, 



Ord. 5 — Grall^ — Waders. 



2d Family, Prepirostres, Gen. 1. Otis, Bustard, - - Tiedemann. 



3d . Cultrirostres, 3d Tribe, Gen. 4. Platalea, Pelican 



of America, Cateshy. 



Ord. C— Pal mipeda — Web-fco'ed, 



4th Family, Lamellirostres, soft skin on the beak. 



Gen. 1. Anas, Duck, (Common and Wild), - - - Tiedemann. 



