DIFFERENCES IN SIZE OF HYBRID PHEASANTS 
The small skeleton (a) at the left is that of a female from the cross of a Reeves male pheasant 
and Prince of Wales female; while in the middle (6) is the female of the reciprocal cross, 
namely, Prince of Wales male and Reeves female. 
It is obvious that the latter cross pro- 
duces a much larger bird, though the parentage in each case is the same except in the matter 
of sex. 
in that sex. 
(Fig. 2.) 
lowing result: Males from J and K 
alike, as far as can be determined, but 
females from J differ from those in K 
in size and color. To explain more 
fully let us take up these three points: 
Size-—The five J females are uni- 
tormly small. They feathered late and 
were always lacking in flesh and vigor. 
The skeleton is extremely light (see 
fig. 2, A), and smaller in every dimen- 
sion than its fellow of the opposite cross 
(fig. 2, B). Their tails are short and 
Reeves-like. They are also much 
smaller than other Reeves or principalis 
females. 
THE RECIPROCAL CROSS 
The three K females, on the other 
hand, are large heavy birds with long 
tails, male-like actions, and in two 
cases well-developed spurs. The plate 
shows them to be nearly as large as the 
male birds and with tails fully as long. 
The individual whose skeleton is figured 
At the right (c) is a male from either cross, the results being practically identical 
did have spurs (fig. 2, B). They are far 
larger than the females of either of the 
parent species. 
Plumage-—The color differences are 
fully as remarkable as those of size. 
The J females are all alike or very 
nearly so, and extremely similar to 
Reeves females. The photograph of 
the skins shows well the barred appear- 
ance of breast and flanks, the chestnut 
mantle and the greyish back and rump. 
On the other hand, the K females are 
extremely male-like, especially in the 
markings about the head which in No. 
1543 are even more sharply contrasted 
than in the specimen shown in the plate 
(No. 1542). They are, essentially, 
washed-out, coffee-colored imitations of 
their brother hybrids and were supposed 
to be males until they were dissected. 
They differ a little, individually, in the 
intensity of their coloration, and in the 
development of the male face pattern. 
The most extreme, or most Reeves-like, 
13 
