THE CHEER PHEASANTS. 5 



but a good deal varied ; it is often begun before complete day- 

 light, and in spring, when the birds are numerous, it invariably 

 ushers in the day ; in this respect it may rival the domestic 

 cock. When pairing and scattered about, the crow is often 

 kept up for nearly half-an-hour, first from one quarter, then 

 another, and now and then all seem to join in a chorus. At 

 other times it seldom lasts more than five or ten minutes. 



"The Cheer Pheasant feeds chiefly on roots, for which it 

 digs holes in the ground, grubs, insects, seeds, and berries, 

 and, if near cultivated fields, several kinds of grain form a 

 portion of its diet ; it does not eat grass or leaves like the rest 

 of our Pheasants. 



" It is easy to rear in confinement, and might, without diffi- 

 culty, be naturalised in England, if it would stand the long 

 frosts and snows of severe winters, which I imagine is rather 

 doubtful. 



" This bird flies rather heavily, and seldom very far. Like 

 most others, it generally utters a few loud screeches on getting 

 up, and spreads out the beautifully barred feathers of its long 

 tail, both when flying and running. It does not perch much 

 on trees, but will occasionally fly up into one close by, when 

 put up by dogs. It roosts on the ground generally, and when 

 congregated together, the whole flock huddle up in one spot. 

 At times, however, they will roost in trees and bushes." 



Hybrids. — The Cheer has been known to cross with the 

 Common Pheasant i^Phasianus colchicus) in confinement, and 

 there is an example of a male hybrid in the National Collection. 



Nest. — Placed in the grass among low bushes near or about 

 the base of some precipitous hill-side at elevations of from 

 4,000 to 7,000 or 8,000 feet. 



Eggs. — Nine to fourteen in number; pale stone-colour or 

 very pale whitish-buff", almost devoid of markings, but many 

 specimens have small spots and specks of brownish-red at one 

 or other end, while more rarely the markings are scattered aU 



