280 PHEASANTS 



PHEASANTS. FAMILY PHASIANID^E 



The true Pheasants, numbering about one hundred species, are 

 found from the eastern borders of the Mediterranean through central 

 and southern Asia to the Malayan Region. 



The Ring-neck and English Ring-neck have been introduced and 

 become naturalized in various parts of the United States. 



Phasianus colchicus (Linn.}. ENGLISH PHEASANT. Ad. <?. Head 

 and neck green; no white neck-ring; rump rich bronzy red; breast bronze- 

 red ; the ends of the feathers with broad greenish black bands ; flanks reddish 

 brown tipped with blue-black. Ad. 9 . Above mixed, black brownish, and 

 rusty; below brownish yellow; breast and sides with rusty and black. 



The English Pheasant has been so hybridized with the Ring-necked 

 Pheasant that it is now rare to find pure-blooded birds. Consequently 

 either name is often equally applicable to these aviary-raised, artificially 

 bred birds. 



Nest, on the ground beneath cover. Eggs, 12-20, unmarked olive-buff, 

 175 x 1*35. Date, Gardiner's Is., L. I., May. 



The so-called English Pheasant is a native of Asia Minor whence 

 it was introduced into Europe by the Greeks, and, it is believed, by the 

 Romans into England. The English stock remained pure until about 

 the end of the eighteenth century when it was crossed with the Chinese 

 Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus torquatus). The progeny proved 

 fertile and continued hybridization, in which the Japanese Pheasant 

 (Phasianus versicolor) has also been used, has left but few pure-blooded 

 birds of the true colchicus type in England. The Pheasant introduced 

 into this country from England is of the P. colchicus X P. torquatus strain, 

 in which the white neck ring is always more or less developed. It has 

 been released and become locally established in Massachusetts, Ohio, 

 Indiana, Illinois, New Jersey, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Kansas. 



(See OLDYS, Pheasant Raising in the United States, Farmers' Bull. 

 No. 390, U. S. Dept. of Agric., 1910, 40.) 



Phasianus torquatus (GmeL). RING-NECKED PHEASANT. Ad. d". 

 Head and neck green with strong purplish reflections; a more or less com- 

 plete white neck-ring; rump gray or yellowish gray; breast bronze-red, the 

 feathers very narrowly margined with purple-black; the end of the feathers 

 notched and with a narrow purple black wedge; flanks buffy, tipped with 

 blue-black. Ad. 9 . Resembles adult female of P. colchicus. 



This species has been successfully introduced in Oregon, Washing- 

 ton, and British Columbia; and limited numbers have been released 

 in the Eastern United States, where, however, its hybrid with P. 

 colchicus has been more frequently used for stocking purposes (see 

 Oldys, as above). 



The GRAY or HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE (Perdix perdix) of Europe has 

 been brought to this country in largo numbers during recent years for 

 stocking purposes, nearly 50,000 having been imported between July 

 1, 1900, and December 31, 1909. Thus far it does not appear to have 

 become naturalized (See OLDYS, Yearbook of Dept. of Agric. 1909, pp. 

 249-258). 



