PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



with black shaft stripes ; chest, breasts and sides, somewhat 

 like the mantle, but the white spots much less conspicuous ; 

 rest of the under parts, pale buff. The middle tail feathers, 

 mottled with sandy buff and black ; outer pairs, chestnut, 

 mixed with black and barred and tipped with white. Total 

 length, 32 inches; wing, 9; tail, 16.6; tarsus, 2.5. 



Range. — Mountains of Northern and Western China 

 extending as far east as Kiu-kiang (Ogilvie Grant). 



Hybrids between Reeves' and the Golden Pheasant have 

 been bred in confinement, and the males are remarkably 

 handsome birds, having a general plumage of reddish-brown. 



Mr E. F. Creagh, writing in the Field, of 13th May 1886, 

 has some very interesting notes relating to the Reeves' 

 Pheasants, and as this description gives in a concise manner 

 facts of general interest, the author has taken the liberty of 

 reproducing Mr Creagh's notes, which are as follows : — 



"It was from Ichang, the post at the head waters of the 

 Tangtse, the great river of China, or rather where that river 

 reaches its gorges, that I started with the stream to a large 

 valley where I knew Reeves' Pheasant had been seen. It 

 is useless to ask any questions of the country folk, who will 

 always answer 'Yes.' I therefore landed and walked along 

 the wide valley, with high perpendicular mountains on either 

 side, and beetling over small woods Cypress. The birds live 

 on the berry of this tree, and fly from one wood to another. 

 They will never show themselves if they can avoid it, and 

 through their great flights when running, steal away from 

 the dogs. Sometimes, however, when taken by surprise they 

 rise, and then only by great caution can a single sportsman 

 hope to get them. Surrounding the woods with several guns 

 is the best way to take them. I think they drive away the 

 P. Torquatits, for I have never seen the two species together. 



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