PHASIANID®. 311 
met with in any poulterer’s shop, to need any de- 
scription. I would merely say that the present 
species, Phasianus colchicus, has no white whatever 
in its plumage, and that all the white and pied birds 
so constantly met with are merely chance varieties, 
or the effect of some cross, probably with the next- 
mentioned species. The buff or cream-coloured 
variety, often called the ‘‘ Bohemian Pheasant,” —to 
which name it has no more right than Shakspere to 
his “sea coast of Bohemia,’—is a rather curious 
variety, all the markings of the feathers being visible, 
but all very pale and faint, and the same buff hue 
pervading the whole bird, except the neck, which 
retains the original green, but even that is paler and 
not so glossy: this variety appears to occur both to 
the present and the Ringnecked species. Very old 
hens, and hens which (either from accident or mal- 
formation) are incapable of breeding, often assume a 
plumage nearly similar to that of the male. 
The egg is of a perfectly plain colour, without any 
spots—a sort of pale olive. 
RINGNECKED PHEASANT, Phasianus torquatus. This 
appears to be a distinct species, and to inhabit a 
different tract of country. Cuvier says of it, ‘‘ China 
has lately furnished us with three other species, one 
of these, Phasianus torquatus, scarcely differs from 
the common species, except in having a brilliant 
white spot on the side of the neck.” Yarrell and 
Montagu both appear to consider this a distinct 
