94 BIRDS 



rather high price. Usually it is wild and intractable, but 

 docile specimens are sometimes seen. It is of a different 

 type of coloration from the other species of Phasianus, the 

 feathers of the male being of a reddish cast, those of the 

 upper parts being bordered with a brilliant band of copper 

 and white. 



With the exception of the last named, the pheasants of 

 the genus Phasianus interbreed promiscuously, and the ama- 

 teur is not always certain as to the derivation of birds fur- 

 nished by dealers. Most of the pheasants offered for sale 

 in America are bred in captivity, often by men who them- 

 selves are not entirely sure of the purity of their breeding 

 stock. Therefore, the greatest care should be taken to in- 

 vestigate the origin of newly purchased birds, to avoid the 

 possibility of producing a flock of undesirable hybrids. 



By early systematists, the Reeves Pheasant was in- 

 cluded in the Ring-neck group, but later authors have given 

 it a new name, Syrmaticus reevesi. The cock is a rather 

 large bird, its general color being gold laced with black. 

 Its tail, however, is its most remarkable feature. This ap- 

 pendage grows to a great length, often reaching more than 

 five feet. For this reason, roomy quarters are required to 

 keep it in good condition. This species crosses readily with 

 the Ring-neck and produces most handsome hybrids, which 

 seem invariably sterile. The Reeves has been tried on Eng- 

 lish shooting preserves, where it is much prized for its 

 superb rocketing powers. Unfortunately, it is so pug- 

 nacious in habit that it will not live amicably with the more 

 docile Ring-necks, and this fact, with the sterility of the 

 hybrids, has much reduced its former popularity in this 

 respect. 



The Golden (Chrysolophus pictus) and the Lady Am- 

 herst Pheasants (C. amhersticB) are among the most 

 brilliant of known pheasants. The Golden is the more 



