Mr. yohn Flower on Hybrids. 117 



24. — On Seven Hybrids between the Common Pheasant 

 (Ph. colchicus) AND THE Common Fowl. 



By John Flower, M.A., F.Z.S. 



{Read i8th May, 1881.J 



These birds were hatched in the summer of 1879, in an aviary 

 at Woodcote Hall, near Carshalton, the residence of Edward 

 Wormald, Esq., who has kindly sent them here this evening 

 for examination by the members of the club. 



Mr. Wormald being desirous of obtaining hybrids, placed in 

 the aviary a Cock Pheasant, and with it a Golden Spangled 

 Hamburg hen, and a small black hen. I saw the cock 

 pheasant more than once, and he seemed to be a bird of the 

 ordinary size, weighing, probably, about 3-lbs. The two fowls 

 were killed in February, 1S81, and, being then in good condi- 

 tion, the Hamburg was found to weigh 4-lbs. 4-oz., and the 

 small black hen 2-lbs. 2-oz. Both fowls had broods, and seven 

 hybrids were reared. One of each brood was killed and pre- 

 served in the spring of 1880, and these Mr. Wormald 

 exhibited at the meeting of the club on April 21st, 1880. 

 Unfortunately the weights of these two birds, which however 

 were killed before they were quite mature, were not taken, nor 

 was their sex noted, but the weights of the five birds, which 

 I have here this evening, and which are the remaining ones of 

 the seven, were carefully taken, before they were skinned, by 

 Mr. Swaysland, of Brighton, who preserved them. The 

 weights of the three very dark birds were G-lbs., 5-lbs. 4-oz., 

 and 4-lbs. 7-0Z., making a total for the three of 15-lbs. ii-oz., 

 and an average for the three of 5-lbs. 3f-oz. The other two 

 birds, which bear a strong resemblance to the Hamburg hen, 

 weighed 5-lbs., and 3-lbs. ii-oz., making a total for the two of 

 8-lbs. II oz., and an average for the two of 4-lbs. ^j-oz. 



It is, I believe, well ascertained that it is one of the charac- 

 teristics of hybrids that they usually exceed the parents in 

 size. This is well illustrated by the weights which I have 

 given you, but there are one or two facts connected with these 

 weights which are, I think, very remarkable, and worthy of 

 special attention. The two broods were not kept separate, 

 and were brought up together after they were able to shift for 

 themselves. But the plumage of the birds seems to show 

 pretty clearly their parentage. The four very dark birds, 

 almost black in some lights, would seem to be the produce of 

 the black hen, whilst the three birds which so strongly resemble 



