12 M. Saint-Hilaire on the Females of Pheasants 



is, that she had ceased to lay eggs three or four years before 

 the change became apparent ; whereas the common phea- 

 sant ceased to lay and to assume the change about the same 

 time. Some white feathers which appeared among the brown 

 ones of the perfect state, announced the first approach towards 

 a masculine character in the plumage. The passage was more 

 conspicuous the following season ; but the change could not 

 in reality be affirmed to have been effected till the third year. 

 In the fourth year, the resemblance became complete ; the tuft 

 and the tail were even elongated to the masculine proportion, 

 while they acquired the brightest colours ; and this fact de- 

 serves notice, that we not only see the colours change, but 

 their natural proportions likewise. In the fifth year, the si- 

 milarity was identical, and the hen-pheasant was to all ap- 

 pearance a cock ornamented with the most brilliant plumage. 



The male bird lived till the period when the change began 

 to appear in the female ; and, probably, in consequence of 

 being his only companion, he did not then regard her with in- 

 difference. She, on the contrary, fled from him, appearing 

 sometimes annoyed by his presence. Nevertheless, when the 

 male died, she seemed to be weary of her solitary situation, 

 and on this account was presented to the museum, where she 

 was kept for some time. But the infirmities of old age coming 

 on, and her death appearing to be not far distant, she was 

 killed, in order that her skin might be preserved before the 

 feathers became injured by the effect of some disease. At this 

 time she had lived thirteen or fourteen years, and four years 

 and six months had elapsed since the change in the plumage 

 commenced. She resembled a male minutely in the finest state 

 of plumage, — a fact which any one may convince himself of, 

 by inspecting the specimen prepared from the skin, in the 

 zoological galleries of the museum. 



Care has been taken, also, to preserve the sexual organs ; 

 their dissection demonstrated, by the side of the persistent 

 ovary, two little bodies, apparently the vestiges of the last ovules 

 which escaped from the ovarian sac. The aduterum of an 

 ovate form was very distinct. It is important to note the pre- 

 sence of the ovary, on account of the observations of Mauduit 

 and Vicq-d'Azyr on this subject. The feathers of the years 



