76 PROPAGATION OF WILD BIRDS 



species is now naturalized and abundant there, and is often 

 called the Oregon pheasant. It is the true ring-neck, a trifle 

 smaller than the other, perhaps through inbreeding, but is a 

 splendid, active game-bird. Harry T. Rogers has used this 

 strain to breed for stocking New York State. 



Other Pheasants. Various other species of pheasants 

 also are bred in this country. The Mongolian is fairly 

 popular, a larger bird, and also very hardy. Golden and 

 silver pheasants, gorgeous in plumage, are also in vogue, but 

 rather as aviary birds, being less able to withstand cold, re- 

 quiring at least slight shelter in winter. The Lady Amherst 

 and Reeve's pheasants are also well-known aviary species, 

 and there are various others, likewise brilliant of hue, which 

 can be cultivated. These fancy kinds are often kept for 

 ornamental purposes. A lady of my acquaintance raises 

 them, because of her love of colour, to beautify her lawns. 

 Some of these species are very easily kept, and stand con- 

 finement better than the wild, hardy ring-neck. The young, 

 moreover, can be raised in confinement, whereas those of the 

 ring-neck must have open range. 



The Manchurian eared pheasant, a large species, is nota- 

 ble for its tameness under artificial conditions. It loses all 

 fear of man and will eat out of one's hand. Such a bird is 

 not adapted to game purposes, but is easy to keep on an 

 estate wandering around like guinea-fowl. 



Methods Similar. The methods described are those used 

 for the ring-neck, and are similar to those for raising quails, 

 with modifications. Descriptions in this chapter will be only 

 of traits and methods which differ from those treated in the 

 chapter on quail propagation. 



Diseases. Though pheasants are subject to diseases and 

 epidemics similar to those of the quail, they are more resist- 

 ant to them, as they have been bred in captivity longer and 



