PHASIANID^. 



485 



THE PHEASANT. 



Phasianus colchicus (Linnreus). 



There is evidence that the I'heasanl had become naturalized in 

 the south of England before the Norman invasion, though there is 

 no mention of its existence in Scotland until 1594, or in Ireland 

 till 1589; at the present day, however, it is generally distributed 

 throughout the United Kingdom, and it has even been acclima- 

 tized in some of the Outer Hebrides. Little, if any, deviation from 

 the typical P. colcJiicus took place up to the end of last century, 

 when the introduction of the Chinese Ring-necked P. torqiiatits 



