444 On the Cage-Birds of Calcutta. 



GALLINtE. 



The Phasianidae are usually regarded in the light of aviary 

 birds,, but as one of them is among the commonest species 

 kept in confinement here, the family demands some notice. 



Family Phasianid^. 

 The Grey Partridge {Francolinus pondicerianus) is very 

 widely kept for fighting, and in consequence is one of the 

 birds most commonly seen in cages. Those used are small, 

 with the interstices of the pyramidal top filled in many 

 cases with string netting, to avoid injury to the bird^s head. 

 These Partridges, however, become so tame that they can be 

 let out for a run, and I have seen one following its owner 

 over the grass like a little dog. 



The Common and Kain- Quails {Cotumix communis and 

 C. coromandelica) are also occasionally kept in cages for 

 fighting. The Pheasants, which are brought down from the 

 hills for exportation, hardly come within the scope of the 

 present paper, but it may perhaps be allowable to mention a 

 few birds of this family which have long been imported for 

 ornamental purposes, although they cannot be called cage- 

 birds. These are the Java Peacock {Pavo muticus) and the 

 white and pied forms of the common P. cristatus, together 

 with the '' Japan Peacock'^ (P. nigripennis) . Mr. Rutledge 

 tells me that this form really does occur in Japan to his 

 positive knowledge (no doubt introduced), and there is 

 certainly a Japanese specimen of Temminck's in the Paris 

 Museum. The Ring-necked Pheasant (P/iasianus torquatus) 

 and Silver Pheasant {Gennceus nycthemerus) are frequently 

 brought over from China, as is the Golden Pheasant [Chry- 

 solophus pictus), the male of which often has a hen of 

 P. torquatus assigned to him as a companion. The male 

 Golden Pheasant occurs in the old picture to which I alluded 

 at the commencement of the present paper, so that it may 

 fairly claim to have been one of the earliest fancy birds 

 exported from its own country. 



