PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



plantations, scratching about just as the common fowl does 

 for its food. The principal food comprises berries in the 

 autumn and winter, and the young shoots of various species 

 of Fir-trees in the spring. A peculiarity of these birds is 

 that in connection with the spurs ; as many as five spurs 

 have been found on one leg, and it is said that the bird 

 develops an additional spur each year, but not beyond the 

 number already named. The feathers on the breast and 

 chest are splashed with crimson ; the chin, the throat, and 

 the cheeks, crimson ; the upper tail coverts are crimson ; 

 and the medium wing coverts, green. Then the hen bird 

 is very much plainer, a reddish-brown predominating in her 

 plumage. Sportsmen who have shot these birds are slightly 

 at variance concerning their edible qualities, but there is 

 no reason why the flesh of well-nourished young birds of 

 Blood Pheasants should not be as good as that of any 

 other species. 



As to whether the Blood Pheasants will breed in confine- 

 ment and their suitability for aviary purposes the author 

 has no reliable information, but sees no reason why they 

 should not thrive in the aviary. 



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