400 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



Ph.H t, C. R 



, N.B. 



Phu, bf If. P. Dand,, F.Z.S. 



GOLDEN PHEASANT 



This bird is moulting. In full dress the cape seen 

 in the upper figure is golden ivith blue-black hart 



GOLDEN PHEASANT 



This bird is often kept in aviaries, on account of its magnificent livery 



which may be heard for at least two miles in the still 

 morning air. Every few minutes this display is repeated 

 . . . but they seem careful not to run against each other, 

 for they have not yet got to the fighting-point. After a 

 little while the lady birds begin to show an interest in 

 the proceedings, by moving about quickly a few yards at 

 a time, and then standing still a short time. When these 

 actions are continued by a large number of birds at a 

 time, it presents a funny sight, and you can easily think 

 they are moving to the measure of music." 



The prairie-hens of America possess great economic 

 value, as great, indeed, as the red grouse of the British 

 Islands, enormous numbers of prairie-hens being exported 

 to Europe every year, whilst still greater numbers are 

 consumed by the American people themselves. It is said 

 that American grouse will sometimes eat the shoots of 

 a plant called kalmia, which renders the flesh poisonous. 



The SAGE-GROUSE is a rather large bird, attaining a 

 weight of 8 Ibs., found in the Western United States; it 

 is, indeed, the largest of the American grouse. Its court- 

 ing habits resemble those of the prairie-hens. From the 

 book containing the above lively description we cull the 

 following : 



" Early one morning in the first week in March, 1877, 

 I had the long-wished-for opportunity to observe the actions 

 of a single cock while paying court to several females near 

 him. . . . His large, pale yellow air-sacs were fully inflated, 



