82 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



307. Tympanuchus PALLiDiciNCTus Ridgw. Lesser Prairie Hen. 



Geog. Dist. — Eastern edge of the plains from Kansas south 

 to western Texas. A specimen of this smaller, paler-colored 

 species in the Hurter collection is said to come from southwestern 

 Missouri. 



In the Nuttall Bulletin, vol. 2, p. 52, Geo. N. Lawrence writes : 

 "In the latter part of January 1877 I found in Fulton Market 

 (New York) about thirty specimens of this form. * * * 

 I ascertained that they came from Pierce City, southwestern 

 Missouri. * * * j lately learned from a large dealer that 

 they had been quite abundant in market, all coming from 

 Southern Missouri." 



Family Phasianidae. Pheasants and Turkeys. 



Phasianus colchicus Linn. English Pheasant. 



Geog. Dist. — Eurasia from Black Sea to Mongolia; south to 

 Persia. Naturalized in Britain and other countries of western 

 and central Europe. 



Phasianus torquatus Gmel. Ring-necked Pheasant. 



Geog. Dist. — Southern Siberia, Corea and northeastern China. 



Several apparently unsuccessful attempts to introduce Pheas- 

 ants into Missouri have been made. Major Geo. H. McCann 

 of Springfield, Mo., president of the St. Louis Park and Agri- 

 cultural Co., and the best informed man on all endeavors of 

 stocking our state with game, was kind enough to write to me 

 under date of June 12, 1907, the following interesting account: 

 "The St. Louis Park and Agricultural Co. has liberated some- 

 thing over 400 birds about equally divided of Enghsh and 

 Ring-necked MongoHan Pheasants. They were liberated in 

 Taney Co. on our preserve. We also raised some 32 birds 

 by the Game-keeper's wife and several covies were raised on 

 and about the preserve, but they leave after the first frost in 

 fall when leaves begin to drop. They go — where I know not. 

 I don't beUeve we have a pair of birds on the preserve. I have 

 inquired for miles around the preserve, they have seen them, 

 but they left. I have labored with them for the past ten years 

 to try and help stock our state, but feel I have made com- 

 plete failure. I can breed and raise, but when turned loose 

 after a few days they are gone. Springfield, Greene Co., organ- 



