THE COMMON PHEASANT. 



PHASIANUS COLCHICUS. 



Head and neck glossy, with metallic reflections of green, blue, and purple ; sides 

 of the head bare, scarlet, minutely speckled with black ; general plumage 

 spotted and banded with orange-red, purple, brown, yellow, green, and black, 

 either positive or reflected : tail very long, of eighteen feathers, the middle 

 ones longest. Female — light brown, marked with dusky ; sides of the head 

 feathered ; tail much shorter. Length three feet. Eggs olive-brown. 



The Pheasant has many enemies, and but for the protec- 

 tion afforded to it by gamekeepers, would probably soon 

 disappear. The climate suits it pretty well, and at most 

 seasons of the year it finds abundance of food ; but in 



