=^^ 



69 



Mr. Rogers found in handling the Reeves that they did not hiy till 

 they were two years old and that the hen could be counted on for only 8 

 to 13 eggs a season. He characterizes the species as being shy and of a 

 bad disposition. 



So far as I can learn, the activities described by Mr. Finley consti- 

 tute the most ambitious efforts made in any state so far to introduce any 

 species of pheasant other than the ringneck and Chinese. (In England 

 the Reeves has been well established for a number of years.) This bird 

 is not found in the wild state in the eastern part of this country, so far as 

 I am aware. 



The Reeves has the longest tail of any of the true pheasants, exceed- 

 ing six feet in some individuals and is easily distinguished by that feature. 

 Its home is in northern China. The bird is excellent for the table, of large 

 size and of surpassing swiftness in flight. As a sporting bird, however, it 

 seems to do better in wild, broken, hill country, where its flight must 

 necessarily be high and varied. In low lying covers it is said to be hard to 

 get up and to fly low when it does arise. This species is said to be an even 

 greater wanderer than the ringneck, and that, of course, counts against it 

 as a bird for stocking coverts. 



Crosses of Reeves and ringnecks are more or less common, but it is 

 supposed that the hybrid is infertile. 



MONGOLIAN. — To this day, the ringneck is not infrequently re- 

 ferred to in this country as the " Mongolian pheasant," a curious error which 

 apparently arose with the introduction of the former bird to this country. 

 As we have already learned, the ringneck, the pheasant most commonly 

 found in this country and England, is a cross between the Chinese pheas- 

 ant (Phasianus torquafus) and the common pheasant {Phasianus colchi- 



ciis), whereas the Mon- 

 golian is an entirely dif- 

 ferent bird as its scientific 

 designation, Phasianus 

 mongolicus shows. 



The home of the 

 Mongolian is in Northern 

 China. It is, therefore, 

 inured to low temper- 

 atures, but is said not to 

 do so well in warm cli- 

 mates. It is larger than 

 the ringneck and a writer 

 Silver pheasant cock. New Jersey State Game Farm. in the London Field of 



