14 BRITISH BIRDS, WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS 



Grouse disease, aud the late Lord Lilford stated " that in his shootings in Inverness- 

 shire, the}- suffer from this disease quite as severely, in proportion to their numbers, 

 as the Red Grouse." 



Family PH A SIANID/E. 



THE PHEASANT. 



Phasianus colchicus, LINN. 



THE true Pheasants, of which our common species, the P. colchicus, of Linnaeus, 

 may be taken as the type, are all natives of Asia, extending from Asia 

 Minor as far east as Japan and Formosa. They are readily distinguished from 

 other gallinaceous birds by the long wedge-shaped tail, composed of eighteen 

 feathers, the two central of which are much longer than the others, and in some 

 species, as the Reeves Pheasant, occasionally reach even six feet in length. There 

 is a large number of closely allied species, or local races, which readily interbreed 

 with one another, and produce, not sterile hybrids, but fertile offspring. In 

 England, the species originally introdiiced was the Colchian Pheasant, P. colchicus, 

 from Asia Minor, which is now commonly known as the Old English Pheasant. 

 Since its introduction, which took place about a thousand years ago, the Chinese 

 Ring-necked Pheasant, P. torquatus, has been introduced, and also the Japanese 

 species, P. versicolor. These having been introdiiced into our coverts, have interbred 

 freely, and now it is not easy to secure a specimen of either one of the races that 

 can be regarded as perfectry pure. 



Since its introduction from the east, the Pheasant has spread over the greater 

 part of Europe, except in the Arctic regions. It has also been introduced and 

 flourishes exceedingly well in North America, Australia, and in New Zealand. 



