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with either of the parent forms, or inter se ; so that the members

of this genus are probably only entitled to sub-specific distinction.

They are all of great beauty, and it can be easily understood that

the hybrids produced by the inter-breeding of two well-defined

races, such as the P. colchicus or P. torquatus, with the richly

coloured Japanese P. versicolor (hereafter to be described) are

some of the most beautiful of birds.


All the true Pheasants are well adapted to a life in

captivity, and all appear to lay freely when once acclimatised

and used to their surroundings. Great care must, however, be

taken that they are not suddenly frightened by some unfamiliar

object, for they take fright very easily, and on the appearance of

anything strange, such as a dog or a broom, are apt to dash

upward and injure their heads severely.


Common Pheasants' eggs can be readilj^ hatched under

hens, and the young reared without difficult}'. I remember some

years ago in our woods in Surrey, my dog, against all rules,

made a dash at a sitting hen Pheasant, which so closely resembled

its surroundings that I had not noticed it. Fortunately^ he was

not quick enough to catch the bird, and a few tail feathers only

remained in his mouth, the Pheasant going off uninjured. The

dog was of course duly chastised, but that did not mend matters ;

several eggs were broken and there was little chance of the hen

returning to the remainder of the clutch. I therefore placed the

remaining eggs in my pockets and took them home to the keeper

who placed them safely under a broody hen. How many eggs

there were I cannot remember, but four only hatched, and one

of the chicks died. The three survivors, a cock and two hens,

were successfully reared, and a large aviary was prepared for

them. In this they lived and throve ; and each year several young

were reared from their eggs, which were hatched by common

hens. The cock was a very fine fellow, but had no white on

his neck, shewing that his ancestors were chiefly of the Colchican

variety.


The true Phasianus colchicus is much darker in colour than

are most of our wild Pheasants of to-day ; and, moreover, it

entirely lacks the white ring on the neck, a feature characteristic

of the more recently introduced P. torquatus of China. In

almost any poulterer's shop may be seen, during the game

season, Pheasants in various phases of plumage : some with the

white patch on the neck very clearly defined, shewing their close

relationship to P. torquatus ; while the descendants of the

original P. colchicus may be noticed with hardly any white on



