22 THE CHINA OR DENNY PHEASANT IN OREGON 



young males begin to discard the quiet dress of the mother for their brilliant adult plumage. 



The fact before referred to, that hybrids are appearing among the grouse and pheas- 

 ants, is creating a good deal of popular comment and scientific interest. Already several 

 of these crosses between the China pheasant and sooty grouse have appeared, bred in the 

 wild, and it is rather unauthentically reported that ruffed grouse hybrids have also been 

 seen in the Valley. There are in Corvallis at the present time, strange, ungainly birds, 

 resulting from the cross between pheasants and domestic fowls. 



The sooty grouse-pheasant hybrids are beautiful birds, but rather inert and spirit- 

 less, showing, in an interesting though an inconstant way, markings of both species. Two 

 of these birds, captured in the woods while still chicks, and reared in captivity, led peace- 

 ful, uneventful lives, growing to a magnificent size, but showing no inclination to breed. 



Of late years there has been shown among the residents of Western Oregon a desire 

 to domesticate China pheasants, but on account of the apparently untamable nature of 

 the birds, the results are often discouraging, though by exercising skill and knowledge 

 together with the proper amount of patience and perseverance, very gratifying results 

 are obtained by some, and their rearing in domestication has led to an industry of con- 

 siderable interest and importance. 



In domestication the eggs of the pheasant are usually hatched under bantam hens, 



