PHEASANT. 183 



shorter than the primaries, and more tinged with brown on 

 the outer edges. The tail is slightly arched, and of eighteen 

 feathers; the two middle ones frequently measure as much 

 as two feet more or less according to age. It is pale 

 yellowish brown with a tinge of green, with narrow transverse 

 black bars about an inch apart, and a broad border of dull 

 red on each side, the loose margins glossed with green and 

 purple: the outer feathers are the shortest, and the shafts 

 dusky; upper tail coverts, light brownish red; under tail 

 coverts, variegated with reddish. The legs, light brownish 

 lead-colour, have conical spurs behind, about a quarter of an 

 inch long, dull the first year: 'they have about seventeen plates 

 in each of their anterior series.' Toes, light brownish lead- 

 colour; the first one, which is very small, with five, the second 

 with twelve, the third twenty-two, the fourth nineteen scales, 

 or thereabouts. Claws, brown. 



The female resembles the male. Length, two feet two inches; 

 bill, horn-colour, tinged with green: over the eye is a bare 

 space, but more feathered than in the male; the head has the 

 feathers on the crown somewhat elongated and tinged with 

 red; neck on the back and nape, yellowish brown tinged with 

 red; throat and breast, paler and less mottled than in the 

 male; back, greyish yellow, variegated with black and yellowish 

 brown. The wings extend to the width of two feet six inches; 

 primaries, pale greyish brown, mottled with greyish yellow; 

 the tail is much shorter than in the male; it is yellowish grey, 

 minutely mottled with black, and with oblique irregular spots 

 of black, with a pale yellow line on the centre of each feather. 

 The legs, brown, have about seventeen scales in each row; the 

 toes, darker brown; the first toe, says Macgillivray, has five 

 scales, the second nine to fifteen, the third twenty-two, the 

 fourth seventeen or eighteen. Claws, dark brown. 



The young of the year, in their first plumage, resemble 

 the females; being of a dull greyish yellow, variegated with 

 brown and black. The females are the dullest, and the space 

 under the eye is more feathered. 



The Pheasant is far from unfrequently found with more 

 or less variegation of plumage. It appears unquestionable 

 that this, as might not unnaturally be expected as the result 

 of some constitutional infirmity, is in many instances, though 

 not in all, transmitted from the parent to the offspring; in 

 some, part of the progeny are pied, and part of the ordinary 

 colour. Pied young have been known to be produced from a 



