THE SILVER PHEASANT. 85 



furnished with moderate-sized, conical spurs ; the feet are divided 

 into four toes, the three anterior of which are united at the base, 

 by a short, membranous expansion. The tail is long, narrow, and 

 arched, composed of eighteen feathers, forming two vertical planes, 

 and overlapping each other, in regular gradation, the two middle 

 ones being considerably longer than the rest. 



In the female, as is usual in this tribe of |birds, the colours are 

 infinitely less splendid. than those of the male. The upper parts 

 are of a rusty-brown, varying in intensity ; the under surface is 

 marked with spots of a deep brown, on a lighter ground ; the throat 

 is nearly white; the wings are transversely barred with black; and 

 the tail, which is considerably shorter than that of the male, is 

 variegated like the wings. They are natives of China, inhabiting 

 the same localities as the common pheasant, but are an entirely 

 distinct species, and never known to cross in a wild state. As 

 before mentioned, I had them to breed together, in my aviary, but 

 the circumstance is very unusual, and they have never been known 

 to reproduce. They are called by the Chinese kinki or kin/tee, gold- 

 flower fowl, or wrought fowl. They are not so wild in their habits 

 as the common pheasant, and have been attempted to be set at 

 large, in preserves, but generally without success. For the table, 

 they are said to be more delicate than the common pheasant ; their 

 numbers are, however, too limited to be often seen in a cooked 

 state. The feathers of the crest and ruff are held in much request 

 by anglers, and particularly to assist in dressing the gaudy, Irish 

 hooks. 



I have found, from experience, that the golden pheasant is not 

 the delicate bird described by some^ authors, having kept it in an 

 open aviary, at all seasons, and found it to be an earlier layer than 

 the silver or the common bird, and, consequently, not affected by 

 the inclemency of our winters ; and, with proper treatment, more 

 easily bred in confinement, than the common pheasant. I would 

 recommend the same treatment as to breeding, rearing, and general 

 management, as that laid down for the common pheasant, for 

 which see pages 78 and 79. 



THE SILVER PHEASANT, 



Which accompanies the golden pheasant, in the foregoing print, is a 

 larger, and a more robust bird than either the golden or the com- 

 mon pheasant, and more docile than either ; it is a bold bird, and 

 easily reduced to domestication. The male bird is about two feet 

 eight inches^ long ; its cheeks are clothed with an apparently 



