486 PHEASANT. 



commenced, which has left ahnost indehble marks, especially with 

 regard to the characteristic white collar. Fertile hybrids have also 

 been produced with the beautiful green-tinted Japanese P. versicolor, 

 and the splendid long-tailed Chinese P. reevesi ; the so-called 

 Bohemian Pheasant being merely a pale bufif-coloured variety. 



The Pheasant owes its generic and specific names to its tradi- 

 tional introduction from the banks of the Colchian Phasis — the 

 modern Rion — which enters the Black Sea near Poti ; and there 

 the pure breed is still to be found. Westward, it inhabits portions 

 of Asia Minor, Turkey, Greece, Albania, and Roumelia ; but it may 

 be doubted whether it is indigenous to the northward of the 

 Balkans, though found at the present day — under greater or less 

 protection — up to the southern districts of Sweden and Norway, 

 and in nearly every country of Europe. Eastward, its range extends 

 along the southern shores of the Caspian about as far as Astrabad, 

 beyond which a desert cuts it off from the various species which 

 inhabit Afghanistan, Turkestan, Mongolia, and China. 



The short crow of the males may be heard in March, when fight- 

 ing takes place for the possession of the hens, which, as a rule, 

 begin to lay in April. From 10-14 eggs, measuring about i'85 by 

 I '45 in., of an olive-brown or sometimes a pale blue colour, are 

 deposited in a slight nest on the ground ; but exceptionally 

 squirrels' dreys and former habitations of other birds in trees are 

 selected, while several hens will sometimes sit amicably on the same 

 nest, as they will do with Partridges and domestic fowls. There 

 are also a few authenticated instances where cock birds have been 

 seen incubating, as well as rearing the brood. The natural food 

 consists of grain, berries, acorns and other vegetable matter, 

 with an enormous number of wire-worms and injurious insects ; 

 ants and their larv^ forming the chief sustenance of the young. 

 Water and cover are indispensable, though trees are not absolutely 

 essential for Pheasants, as they do not constantly roost in them 

 during the summer. When well on the wing their pace is tremen- 

 dous, and they have been seen to fly nearly four miles at a stretch ; 

 they also swim with considerable facility. Hybrids have been pro- 

 duced with several other species of gallinaceous birds ; and a 

 partial assumption of the male plumage by females which have 

 ceased to breed is not uncommon. 



It is unnecessary to occupy valuable space with a description of 

 this well-known bird, now seldom, if ever, found pure-bred in this 

 country. The average weight of an old cock bird is from 2)-2)\ lbs., 

 and of a hen about 2^ lbs. 



