PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



introduction of the Chinese Ring-necked Pheasant or the 

 hybrid of P. Torquatus existed prior to 1855. 

 In continuing, the same author says : 



" Pure white Pheasants and individuals pied with white 

 in every variety, are common enough, and some of the 

 latter exhibit great beauty of markings. The pure white 

 plumage is said to be assumed most frequently by the 

 female bird, and those which have come under our notice 

 have certainly borne out the remark." 



Both pure white and pied Pheasants are occasionally met 

 with in both sexes, but as such can only be regarded as 

 variations of the common Pheasant, neither can the former 

 be relied upon to produce birds, either white or pied, though 

 some of the broods do, as a rule, develop the same plumage. 

 Experimental breeding amongst both animals and birds has 

 proved that it is extremely difficult to establish a race of pure 

 white animals or birds from coloured ancestors. There is 

 always a strong tendency towards a reversion of the "fixed " 

 type, from which the white or pied bird has been derived. 



Many sub-species of the common Pheasant have been 

 alluded to by various writers, but as such are not of much 

 practical importance, it is not desirable to enter into a con- 

 sideration of the same. The male birds, until after the first 

 moult, are very similar to the females, which in this, as in 

 other species, are non-attractive in their plumage, whereas 

 the converse nearly always applies to the males, and few birds 

 of the Gallinaceous kind exhibit more attraction than the 

 male Pheasants. The average weight of an adult cock 

 Pheasant may be set down at 2\ to 3 lbs., some being 

 heavier, others lighter. The hens are smaller and lighter 

 in weight. The length of the male, as measured from 



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