THE TRUE PHEASANTS. 35 
have bred in the Zoological Gardens, but the young birds have 
not survived for more than a few days. 
Dr. Joseph Wilson gives the following notes on this species :— 
“During the first part of our stay at Simoda, the cultivated 
fields afforded no food for the Pheasants. The natives told 
us they were plentiful in the hills; but no one was willing to 
undertake to show them, and several rambles through the 
bushes where these birds were supposed to feed ended in dis- 
appointment. Once only I had a glimpse of a brood of young 
ones, near a hut in the mountains; but they immediately dis- 
appeared by running very rapidly. Perhaps one reason of our 
want of success was to be found in the fact that the wheat was 
ripe and partially harvested before we left (June 24th), so that 
during the time of our efforts they were enabled to fill their 
crops occasionally from the wheat-fields, and lie very close in 
the hills during the day, without being under the necessity of 
wandering in search of food. 
“The note of one or the other of these species of Pheasants 
was heard frequently. On the top of a precipitous hill, about 
a mile south of Simoda, covered by small pines and a very 
thick growth of shrubbery, a Pheasant (so we were assured by 
the Japanese) passed the weary hours while his mate was on 
her nest, and very sensibly solaced himself and her with such 
music as he was capable of making. It was, however, any- 
thing but melodious, and may be represented as a sort of com- 
pound of the filing of a saw and the screech of a Peacock. 
There are two notes only, uttered in quick succession, and re- 
presented by the Japanese name of the bird, A777; but the 
second note is much longer, louder, and more discordant ; in 
fact, has more of the saw-filing character, Kee-jaeae. These 
two notes are uttered ; and, if the bird is not disturbed, they 
are repeated in about five minutes. A good many attempts, 
perhaps twenty, to become better acquainted with this indi- 
vidual all failed; it seemed impossible to make him fly, 
though his covert was by no means extensive.” 
ID) 2 
