which assume the Plumage of the Male. 11 



short time the whole body exhibited a change. The follow- 

 ing year the colour of the feathers assumed much more of the 

 liveliness and splendour of those of the male bird, and from 

 that time it might be said that the hen resembled a cock-phea- 

 sant whose plumage was dull and discoloured. The third 

 year, however, exhibited the change so much more perfectly, 

 that it became impossible not to commit mistakes in regard to 

 the sex, when the plumage alone was regarded, above all, 

 when no male pheasant was by ; for the resemblance was very 

 great, yet not entirely complete. 



Such was the state of the plumage of this female at eight 

 years of age ; she partook freely of her food, and enjoyed 

 good health, and every thing appeared to favour the anticipa- 

 tion of perfect male plumage the following year. By some 

 accident, however, she was killed. She had always lived like 

 the other hen pheasants with the cocks, but after the change 

 had become visible in her plumage, she became altogether an 

 indifferent object to them. She herself, at the same time, 

 neither sought them nor avoided them, but associated with 

 them in manner and exterior. 



At the time of her death, her plumage was so near that of 

 the male, that persons accustomed to see and even breed phea- 

 sants, were deceived, and pronounced it a dead male pheasant. 

 Nevertheless, the resemblance was not complete, as we shall 

 see by the following observations. 



% The pencilled Pheasant — The present species excited 

 much interest, inasmuch as the observations were more com- 

 plete, having been continued for four years and a half. The 

 preceding example I have brought forward chiefly to assist in 

 illustrating the general circumstances attending a change of 

 plumage, and the period of time necessary for its perfect de- 

 velopement. 



This female had been reared in company with a male at a 

 country house of an old friend of my family, M. Montard, 

 notary in Paris, but in her old age was presented to the mu- 

 seum. 



She did not begin to exhibit any change till she was eight 

 or ten years of age ; much later, therefore, than the common 

 pheasant I have noticed. Another remarkable circumstance 



