CHAPTER V 



The Chinese Pheasant {Phasianus Torquatus) 



The Chinese Pheasant i^Pliasianus Torquatus) is a distinct 

 species, originally introduced into Great Britain from China, 

 to which the bird is indigfenous. According to authoritative 

 accounts, it belongs to the North of China, and large 

 quantities of frozen birds are sent down the market to 

 Pekin. 



In many respects the Chinese Pheasant resembles the 

 common Pheasant i^P. Colchicus), but it has the distinctive 

 white ring around its neck, from which the specific name 

 Torquatus has been derived. In pure-bred specimens 

 this ring is complete, whereas, in the Pheasants found in 

 British game preserves, there may be only traces of this 

 ring, as these birds are hybrids, derived from the Chinese 

 and the common Pheasant, with a certain amount of Japanese 

 Pheasant intermingled. Therefore, in spite of the fact that 

 the Chinese Pheasant as a progenitor, stamps its distinctive 

 features on the hybrid, the latter has a tendency to revert 

 to the black-necked Pheasant, its prepotency being more 

 strongly marked than that of P. Torquatus. 



Considered in the light of improvement, the alliance 

 of Chinese Pheasants with those of Great Britain, has 

 exercised a most salutary influence, and such may be sum- 

 marised as follows : — 



First of all, the constitution of the birds has become more 

 vigorous ; secondly, there has been a distinct increase in size 



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