THE CHINESE PHEASANT THE ARGUS PHEASANT. 2-57 



THE CHINESE PHEASANT. 



This bird is distinguished by having a yellow crest, the breast 

 scarlet, the back and rump yellow, the upper tail coverts long, narrow, 

 and red, the wing coverts varied with bay and brown, the quill -feathers 

 brown, with yellowish spots, and the secondary quiil-feathers blue. 



The singular beauty of the Chinese Pheasants has long i\ ndered 

 these birds objects of admiration. Though inhabitants of the warmer 

 districts of China, they can, without difficulty, be kept in aviaries in 

 our own country. The females are smaller than the males, have a 

 shorter tail, and plumage of much less brilliant color. In many in- 

 stances, however, when old, they have been known, like the Pea-hen, 

 and the female European Pheasant, to assume a plumage similar to 

 that of the male. 



The eggs of the Chinese Pheasant resemble those of the Guinea 

 fowl ; and are in proportion smaller than those of the poultry-hens. 



Sir Hans Sloane kept a male Chinese Pheasant nearly fifteen years, 

 during the whole of which time it continued in perfect health. From 

 this bird he obtained a mixed breed with the common Pheasant. Of 

 this breed the produce had a plumage much less beautiful than that of 

 the Chinese species. 



Chinese Pheasants suffer more inconvenience in European climates, 

 from the humidity and changeable state of the atmosphere, than from 

 the cold weather of winter. They require more care than common 

 Pheasants, but are fed and attended in the same manner 



THE ARGUS PHEASANT. 



The Argus Pheasant is of a clayey-yellow color, spotted with black. 

 The face is red, and behind the head is a blue crest. The wings are 

 grey, and have a great number of eye-like spots. The two middle 

 feathers of the tail are very long, and are spotted through their whole 

 length. 



The Argus Pheasant, has been so called from the number of eye-like 

 spots with which its wing-feathers are covered. These birds are found 

 in many of the northern parts of China, and in several of the interior 

 districts of India and Sumatra. They are nearly as large "as Peacocks, 

 and rank among the most beautiful of the feathered creation. They 

 are extremely wild, and very difficult to be kept alive for any length 

 of time after they have been taken from the woods. In a strong light 

 they appear dazzled, and when exposed to such they seem melancholy 

 and inanimate ; but in the dark they recover all their animation. 



These birds have a cry not much unlike that of a. Peacock. Their 

 flesh is palatable, and in flavor like that of the common Pheasant 

 The wing and tail-feathers are in considerable request as ornaments in 

 female head-dresses. 



