THE "GAME-BIRDS" 65 



supposed that they were introduced from Asia Minor by the 

 Romans. The " Common Pheasant " is to-day a very rare bird in 

 Great Britain, and this because it has inter-bred with other species 

 which have been introduced and allowed to run wild. Of these the 

 commonest is a species which is distinguished by a white ring round 

 the neck, as well as by other differences in coloration, with which 

 we cannot deal here. 



The Golden Pheasant (Plate XI. fig. i, a, b) is a native of 

 Southern and Western China. From its resplendent plumage it is 

 commonly kept in aviaries. The golden neck-feathers, barred with 

 black, are of great length, and can be spread out, at the will of the 

 bird, to form a wide, circular cape. Only the males wear this cape 

 and gaudy plumage, the female being quite soberly coloured. 



The Silver Pheasant (Plate XI. fig. 4) is another bird com- 

 monly seen in aviaries. It is a native of South China, but is now 

 rare in a wild state, and little is known of its habits, save in con- 

 finement. This is the bird which is embroidered as a badge on the 

 dresses of mandarins. 



Perhaps the most remarkable of all the Pheasant tribe are the 

 Argus Pheasant (Plate X. fig. i, a, b) and the Peacock (Plate XI. 

 fig. 2, a, b). 



The Argus Pheasant, a native of the Indo-Malay peninsula and 

 Sumatra, differs from all other birds in the enormous length of the 

 inner quill- or flight -feathers of the wings, while the tail-feathers are 

 also extremely long. But it is not so much the great length as the 

 marvellous beauty of these quill -feathers which makes them notice- 

 able. Each is marked by a most wonderful and complicated pattern, 

 the most conspicuous feature of which is the row of eye-like blotches, 

 each of which is so delicately tinted as to give the appearance of a 

 ball lying within a dark cup. When the bird wishes to charm his 

 mate — who is quite soberly coloured — he spreads these wings so that 

 they form a great circle, displaying to the very best advantage these 

 extraordinary ornaments. 



More familiar is the Peacock of India and Ceylon — a bird so well 

 known in confinement as to need no description here. It may be 

 well to point out, however, that the gorgeous '' train " of this bird is 

 not, as is so commonly supposed, a tail, but is composed of the feathers 



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